WhatsApp is rolling out a new feature that will allow users to chat without sharing their phone numbers by using unique usernames instead.
The feature, which will be introduced globally over the next few months, will be available to the platform’s more than three billion users. Beginning Monday, users can reserve a unique username within the app, although creating one will remain optional.
According to WhatsApp, users will be free to change or remove their usernames whenever they choose. Once the rollout is complete, people will be able to connect and exchange messages using usernames alone, eliminating the need to reveal personal phone numbers.
The company said the move is designed to strengthen user privacy, especially for those interacting with people they do not know personally or participating in group chats. Existing safety tools, including options to block and report unwanted contacts, will remain available.
Usernames will be limited to 35 characters. While most names will be allowed, WhatsApp said certain high-profile names belonging to public officials and celebrities will be protected to prevent impersonation.
Alice Newton-Rex, WhatsApp’s Head of Product, said many users had expressed concerns about having to share their phone numbers just to communicate with others. She explained that the new feature is intended to give people greater control over how they present themselves on the platform.
The update follows a similar feature introduced by the messaging app Signal in 2024.
Despite the added privacy, some experts argue that the feature does not address broader concerns about data collection. Carissa Véliz, a professor at the University of Oxford and author of Privacy Is Power, noted that while phone numbers will be hidden from other users, WhatsApp still collects metadata, such as who users contact and when they communicate, to support Meta’s advertising business.
However, WhatsApp emphasized that the content of private chats remains protected through end-to-end encryption, meaning neither the company nor Meta can read users’ messages.
Once usernames are fully implemented, individual phone numbers will no longer be visible during chats. However, users will still need a valid phone number to register for a WhatsApp account, and the platform will not introduce a public directory of usernames.
The messaging app, owned by Meta, says the new username system is aimed at giving users more privacy and flexibility while maintaining the security features already available on the platform.
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