Meta-owned WhatsApp is set to introduce a username-based identity system aimed at enhancing user privacy by allowing people to connect without sharing their mobile phone numbers.
The upcoming feature represents a significant shift from WhatsApp’s current phone number-based model. Once rolled out, users will be able to communicate using unique usernames, adding an extra layer of privacy for the platform’s billions of users.
Announcing the feature, Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg said it is “designed to protect the privacy of your phone number.”
“A username is a way for you to connect with someone on WhatsApp without giving away your phone number. You choose your own, and it doesn’t have to match your handle on any other app,” WhatsApp said in a statement on Monday.
“People need to know your exact username to find you. You can update your username right in WhatsApp,” the company added.
As part of the rollout, WhatsApp has announced the global reservation of usernames, enabling users to secure a unique identifier ahead of the feature’s wider launch later this year.
How username registration will work
Under the new system, users will be able to choose a unique username that will serve as their primary identity on WhatsApp, allowing them to communicate without revealing their phone numbers.
According to the company, usernames must be between three and 35 characters long. Users will also be able to set a “username key” to maintain greater control over who can contact them.
Once the feature is available, phone numbers will not be visible when users message someone or a business for the first time. WhatsApp is also expected to provide a username generator to help users select an available and distinctive username.
According to reports, username registration could begin as early as this week. With nearly three billion users worldwide, WhatsApp plans to conduct the registration process in phases globally before rolling out the feature by the end of the year.
Users will receive in-app notifications when the feature becomes available in their respective countries. The company said reserving a personalised username is expected to take only a few seconds.
The announcement comes as WhatsApp continues to expand its privacy features while exploring new ways to strengthen user engagement and grow its global platform.
(With IANS inputs)
