WhatsApp rolls out usernames to replace phone numbers

WhatsApp is testing a new feature that lets users create a unique username as an alternative to sharing their phone number. The username can be shared with contacts, enabling chats without automatically exposing the user’s telephone number. The phone number remains required for account registration and is still stored by the service.

The change is intended to improve privacy, but Meta warns that the app will continue to collect metadata about message timing and frequency, and end‑to‑end encryption protects only message content. Fraud risks persist, as criminals could still forge profiles or impersonate others with similar usernames.