WhatsApp moves to hide users’ phone numbers with global username rollout

WhatsApp has started rolling out username reservations worldwide in a major move to strengthen user privacy, allowing people to connect without sharing their phone numbers.

The Meta-owned messaging platform announced that users can begin reserving unique usernames from Monday, June 29, ahead of the full launch of the feature later this year. Once the feature becomes available in each country, users will receive a notification within the app.

The new system is designed to give people greater control over how they interact with others on WhatsApp. Instead of exchanging phone numbers with new contacts, users will be able to communicate using a chosen username.

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According to WhatsApp, the feature is particularly useful when meeting new people, joining community or school groups, or taking part in conversations where users may not want to reveal their personal phone numbers.

Unlike usernames on social media platforms, WhatsApp said its usernames are focused on privacy rather than public identity. There will be no searchable directory, profile suggestions or public discovery tools. Anyone who wants to contact a user through a username must already know the exact username.

The company said most people should choose a unique username that is only shared with trusted contacts.

To provide even stronger protection, WhatsApp is also introducing an optional username key. This extra security feature requires someone to enter a separate key the first time they try to message a user through their username, giving users another layer of control over who can contact them.

With more than three billion users worldwide, WhatsApp said it is opening reservations early because many names are likely to overlap. Early reservations give users a better chance of securing their preferred username before the feature is fully launched.

For users who find it difficult to choose a name, WhatsApp has built a username generator that can suggest available options.

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The company also said creators, small businesses and organisations will have the option to reserve the same usernames they already use on Instagram or Facebook, helping them maintain a consistent online identity across Meta’s platforms.

Once usernames become fully available, people who start a conversation with a user or business through a username will no longer see the other person’s phone number, provided the username feature has been enabled.

Users can reserve their username through the latest version of WhatsApp by going to Settings, then Account, and selecting Username when the feature becomes available for their account.

WhatsApp said the rollout will continue gradually over the coming months as it expands the feature to users around the world, describing usernames as another step in its broader effort to make private messaging more secure and give users greater control over their personal information.