"At its core, it's a privacy feature, not a social media handle – there's no directory to browse and no suggestions, so people need to know your exact username to contact you for the first time," WhatsApp said in a statement shared with The Hacker News.
WhatsApp begins global username reservations
WhatsApp on Monday announced the start of global reservations of usernames, a new optional feature intended to shield phone numbers for more than three billion users on the platform. Username reservations "will start rolling out starting today," the company said, allowing users to create and reserve a username ahead of a broader launch planned later this year.
The company framed the change as privacy-focused rather than social-media style branding: users choose their own name and it "doesn't have to match your handle on any other app," WhatsApp said. The rollout will be gradual. "We'll be rolling out usernames gradually over the coming months and will notify you in WhatsApp when they're available in your country," the company added.
How usernames replace phone numbers and what that looks like
The central practical change is that usernames provide an alternate identifier so that people do not have to share phone numbers to connect. Once enabled, WhatsApp said, other accounts can no longer view or access a user's phone number.
WhatsApp also emphasized that usernames are not searchable in a directory. As the company put it, there is "no directory to browse and no suggestions, so people need to know your exact username to contact you for the first time." To claim a username, users can navigate to Settings > Account > Username within the app.
WhatsApp warned implicitly that usernames must be unique. To help, the app will provide a username generator to assist users in picking a name that is available.
Username keys: an extra layer explained by a Meta spokesperson
Beyond a simple username, WhatsApp is offering what it calls a username key for an added gatekeeping mechanism. A Meta spokesperson told The Hacker News that username keys "provide an extra layer of protection by letting users control who can reach them on WhatsApp with their username."
"Others will need to know not only your exact username but also your key to message you for the first time with your username," the spokesperson said. The company also noted that users can reset their key at any time "to cut off new inbound contact," giving account holders a straightforward way to limit new first-time messages tied to the username.
What this means for content creators, small businesses, and organizations
- Content creators: The ability to reserve a username — and to claim an existing Instagram or Facebook handle — offers a path to keep a consistent identity across platforms without exposing phone numbers. Creators who want a maintained presence can claim names in advance and use the username key to control initial contact.
- Small businesses: For businesses that rely on direct messaging, the change promises to separate contact channels from phone-level exposure. Small business accounts can claim usernames to present a consistent front and to prevent customers or contacts from automatically seeing a phone number.
- Organizations: Groups that operate across social platforms can optionally claim their Instagram or Facebook username on WhatsApp to preserve branding and make it easier for audiences to find them without sharing phone numbers.
How this fits with earlier moves and the rollout window
WhatsApp's username launch is not unprecedented; the company acknowledged that the development comes "more than two years after Signal announced a username feature in its messaging app as a way to shield phone numbers from others." WhatsApp's approach emphasizes privacy controls — the lack of a searchable directory and the availability of username keys — and combines that with tools for users who want a recognizable handle across services by allowing claims of Instagram or Facebook names.
For now, the path is clear: users can reserve a username through Settings > Account > Username and will receive in-app notification when the feature appears in their country. WhatsApp plans a gradual rollout with broader availability slated for later this year.
Read the original announcement at The Hacker News: https://thehackernews.com/2026/06/whatsapp-is-finally-getting-usernames.html
