WhatsApp has announced a new feature that will allow its users to connect and chat without exchanging phone numbers, opting instead for unique usernames.
The messaging platform, owned by Meta, said the feature would be rolled out globally to its three billion account holders over the coming months. Starting Monday, users can begin reserving a username through the app, though doing so will not be mandatory. WhatsApp added that users would have the freedom to change or delete their usernames whenever they wish.
Once fully implemented, people will be able to connect with one another using only their usernames, with existing options to block or report unwanted contacts remaining in place. Usernames will be capped at 35 characters, and there will be minimal restrictions on what users can choose—except for certain public figures and celebrities, whose names will be protected from use by others.
WhatsApp described the move as a privacy-driven update. Alice Newton-Rex, the company’s head of product, said feedback from users showed many were reluctant to share their phone numbers just to stay in touch with others, especially within group chats. She added that the goal was to give users greater control over their identity on the platform.
Signal, another encrypted messaging service, introduced a similar username system back in 2024.
However, some experts have urged caution. Oxford University professor Carisa Veliz, who authored Privacy is Power, acknowledged the update was a positive step but warned that WhatsApp’s broader practices remain a concern. She pointed out that the app, despite the new feature, still gathers substantial user metadata for advertising purposes, and that its parent company Meta has faced repeated criticism over privacy issues.
While WhatsApp does not access the content of encrypted chats for ad targeting, it does track behavioral data—such as messaging patterns and timing—to support its advertising business.
Once the rollout is complete, phone numbers will no longer be visible to other users on the platform. There are no plans for a public directory of usernames, and a phone number will still be required to create a WhatsApp account in the first place.
The platform’s minimum age requirement remains 13, and messaging apps like WhatsApp will be exempt from the UK’s upcoming social media restrictions for users under 16, set to take effect next year.
In related leadership news, WhatsApp recently named Kunal Shah, founder of an Indian fintech company, as its new head, succeeding Will Cathcart after his seven-year tenure.
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