WhatsApp Usernames: Chat Without Sharing Your Phone Number
WhatsApp usernames are rolling out, letting you message people for the first time without handing over your phone number. Reservations opened on 29 June 2026, with the feature itself arriving in phases over the coming months. Here’s what’s changing and what it means for how you use the app.
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What’s actually changing
Right now, you need someone’s mobile number to start a WhatsApp chat with them. Once usernames go live, you’ll be able to share a unique handle instead. The other person won’t see your phone number when you message them for the first time.
You can pick your own username, up to 35 characters, or use WhatsApp’s built-in generator if your first choice is taken. There’s no public directory or search function, so someone still needs your exact username before they can contact you. WhatsApp is also adding an optional username key, a short code you share alongside your handle for an extra layer of control over who can reach you.
How to reserve your username now
Reservations opened on 29 June 2026, ahead of the full feature launch later this year. Update WhatsApp to the latest version, then go to Settings, Account, Username. Type in the handle you want and confirm it’s available.
During this reservation phase, the username key is a simple four-digit code. WhatsApp says this will be upgraded to an alphanumeric code once usernames properly launch. Reserving early doesn’t switch the feature on, it just locks in your name before someone else takes it, which matters given WhatsApp has more than three billion users worldwide.
Why WhatsApp is doing this
WhatsApp is framing this as a privacy fix rather than a social feature. A phone number is tied to far more than messaging, from two-factor authentication to banking, so handing it to a new contact, a stranger in a group chat, or someone you’ve just met can feel like a bigger step than it should be.
Usernames are meant to lower that barrier, particularly for joining community or activity-based group chats where you might not want everyone in the chat to have your number. WhatsApp has been explicit that this isn’t a move towards becoming a social network: there’s no directory, no algorithmic suggestions, and no browsing other people’s profiles.
What this means for businesses on WhatsApp
If you run a small business and use WhatsApp Business to take enquiries, the username feature gives you a way to advertise a consistent handle without putting your personal or business mobile number out in public. Creators, small businesses, and organisations will be able to claim the same username they already use on Instagram or Facebook, which keeps your brand identity consistent across Meta’s apps.
This could be useful if you currently list your number on a website, business card, or van signage and would rather not. That said, WhatsApp has said the feature won’t change how its business model works, so don’t expect it to come bundled with new advertising or lead generation tools.
The privacy caveat worth knowing
Usernames hide your phone number from new contacts, but they don’t change what WhatsApp itself collects. Oxford University privacy researcher Carisa Veliz told the BBC that WhatsApp still gathers significant metadata on who you message, when, and your location, regardless of whether usernames are switched on.
So treat this as a genuine improvement to contact-level privacy, not a wholesale change to how much data WhatsApp holds on you. If your main concern is who can see your number, it helps. If your concern is data collection more broadly, it doesn’t move the needle much.
Verdict
This is a sensible, overdue privacy upgrade rather than a major redesign. If you’re happy with how WhatsApp works today, you don’t need to do anything yet, the rollout will reach your country with an in-app notification. If you’d like to claim a specific handle before someone else does, it takes a few seconds to reserve one now via Settings, Account, Username.
Frequently asked questions
Do I still need a phone number to use WhatsApp?
Yes. You still need a phone number to sign up and verify your account. Usernames only change what other people see when you message them for the first time.
Can I change my WhatsApp username later?
WhatsApp hasn’t published specific rules on how often you can change your username once the feature fully launches. It’s worth picking a handle you’re happy to stick with rather than treating it as temporary.
Will my old WhatsApp contacts still see my phone number?
Existing chats and contacts who already have your number won’t be affected. The change only applies to new conversations started after usernames are switched on.
Is WhatsApp usernames the same as Signal usernames?
They work on a similar principle. Signal introduced optional usernames in 2024 to let people connect without sharing phone numbers, and WhatsApp’s version follows the same basic idea.
Does a WhatsApp username cost anything?
No. Reserving and using a WhatsApp username is free, the same as the rest of the app’s core messaging features.
WhatsApp’s username rollout continues over the coming months, with countries notified individually as the full feature goes live.
