WhatsApp to Introduce Usernames, Reducing Reliance on Phone Numbers

WhatsApp is reportedly preparing a major update that could allow users to create usernames, moving away from its traditional reliance on phone numbers for registration and contact discovery. Since its launch in 2009, the Meta-owned messaging platform has depended on mobile numbers as the primary means of identifying and connecting users—a system that has begun to seem outdated compared with competitors like Telegram, which have long offered username functionality.

According to test builds, WhatsApp will introduce a set of rules for creating usernames, along with a reservation system that lets users secure preferred handles in advance. While Meta has not confirmed a rollout date, the feature is expected to provide greater flexibility in how users interact on the platform, especially in group chats. Under the new system, a recipient will see a user’s push name or username rather than their phone number, enhancing privacy when communicating with unknown contacts.

The update is likely to offer three privacy options: sharing only the username, sharing only the phone number, or sharing the username with a PIN. This approach could give users more control over who can reach them without revealing their mobile numbers, a significant shift from the platform’s long-standing approach.

Industry analysts view the move as a response to changing expectations around digital privacy and user identity, as well as growing competition from messaging apps that already allow usernames and handles. By decoupling identification from phone numbers, WhatsApp could also make it easier for people without mobile numbers to join the platform, broadening its user base globally.

If successfully implemented, usernames could modernize WhatsApp’s interface and align it with current social and messaging trends. The change is expected to enhance user convenience while providing more nuanced control over privacy settings, marking one of the most significant updates to the app’s foundational design in over a decade.