WhatsApp launches username feature to hide phone numbers

Meta's messaging app WhatsApp has begun rolling out a new username system that lets users start chats without sharing their telephone numbers. The feature, announced through app‑store updates, creates a unique @‑style identifier that can be reserved and later used to find contacts within the app. Users set the name in Settings → Account → Username; the identifier may contain 3‑35 characters, lowercase letters, numbers, underscores or periods.

The rollout started in mid‑July with beta testers and is being extended gradually to all users worldwide. While the username can replace the phone number for initiating conversations, a valid phone number remains required to create a WhatsApp account. The change is marketed as a privacy upgrade, aiming to reduce exposure of personal numbers in commercial, professional and temporary group chats.