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WhatsApp to Let Users Reserve Usernames, Allowing Messaging Without Sharing Phone Numbers
The messaging app will let people contact others by username instead of phone number. The change begins with reservations this week and rolls out globally over the coming months.
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WhatsApp announced Monday that users can reserve usernames this week ahead of a global rollout later this year. The feature will let people message others without sharing a phone number, provided the sender has enabled a username. Usernames must be between three and 35 characters.
Users can reserve usernames this week, though accounts already using the same name on Instagram or Facebook will have priority. Users must update to the latest smartphone version of the app and complete the reservation through Settings, Account, and Username. The process cannot be completed on WhatsApp Web or desktop.
There will be no public directory or username suggestions. When messaging a person or business for the first time after the feature launches, the recipient will no longer see the sender's phone number if the sender has enabled a username, WhatsApp said in a blog post.
The service, which has more than three billion users worldwide, will notify users when the feature becomes available in their country.
Creators, small businesses, and organizations will have the option to claim their existing Instagram or Facebook username on WhatsApp.
