WhatsApp Lets Users Message Without Sharing Phone Numbers
WhatsApp is rolling out a long-awaited privacy feature that lets its massive global user base connect without exchanging phone numbers. The Meta-owned messaging app announced that all users can now reserve a unique username, with the feature set to go live for everyone later this year, according to a Bloomberg report. Once active, people will be able to reach anyone on the platform using just that username, eliminating the need to hand over personal contact details.
A Privacy Boost for Business Users
The update addresses a common hesitation many professionals feel when networking through WhatsApp. Sharing a personal phone number with a new client, customer, or colleague has long felt like an uncomfortable trade-off between convenience and privacy. With usernames, that barrier disappears. A WhatsApp product executive noted that handing out a phone number can feel like a significant step for someone meeting a new contact, and the new system is designed to remove that friction entirely.
Protecting Public Figures and Brands
To smooth the transition, WhatsApp has already reserved usernames matching people’s existing Facebook and Instagram handles, giving account owners priority access to consistent branding across Meta’s platforms. The company also confirmed it will permanently lock down usernames associated with public figures, celebrities, and well-known brands, preventing bad actors from impersonating them once the feature rolls out broadly.
With roughly 3 billion users worldwide, WhatsApp’s shift toward optional, identity-based messaging marks one of its biggest privacy overhauls in years — and could reshape how people and businesses connect on the platform going forward.WhatsApp is rolling out a long-awaited privacy feature that lets its massive global user base connect without exchanging phone numbers. The Meta-owned messaging app announced that all users can now reserve a unique username, with the feature set to go live for everyone later this year, according to a Bloomberg report. Once active, people will be able to reach anyone on the platform using just that username, eliminating the need to hand over personal contact details.
A Privacy Boost for Business Users
The update addresses a common hesitation many professionals feel when networking through WhatsApp. Sharing a personal phone number with a new client, customer, or colleague has long felt like an uncomfortable trade-off between convenience and privacy. With usernames, that barrier disappears. A WhatsApp product executive noted that handing out a phone number can feel like a significant step for someone meeting a new contact, and the new system is designed to remove that friction entirely.
Protecting Public Figures and Brands
To smooth the transition, WhatsApp has already reserved usernames matching people’s existing Facebook and Instagram handles, giving account owners priority access to consistent branding across Meta’s platforms. The company also confirmed it will permanently lock down usernames associated with public figures, celebrities, and well-known brands, preventing bad actors from impersonating them once the feature rolls out broadly.
With roughly 3 billion users worldwide, WhatsApp’s shift toward optional, identity-based messaging marks one of its biggest privacy overhauls in years — and could reshape how people and businesses connect on the platform going forward.