WhatsApp to roll out usernames, letting people chat without sharing phone numbers

Precious Omolu 19:24 - 29 June 2026

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WhatsApp is rolling out an optional username feature, allowing its three billion global users to chat and connect seamlessly without revealing their personal phone numbers

WhatsApp is rolling out usernames, allowing users to chat without sharing phone numbers. The new privacy feature will be available to its 3 billion users globally.

WhatsApp is introducing usernames that let users chat without revealing their phone numbers, with the global rollout beginning over the next few months.
The optional feature enhances privacy, especially in group chats, while still allowing users to block, report, change or remove their usernames at any time.
Privacy experts welcome the update but raise concerns that Meta still collects user metadata, even though WhatsApp's end-to-end encryption protects the content of private messages.

WhatsApp is introducing usernames, a long-awaited feature that will allow people to connect and chat without revealing their personal phone numbers.

The Meta-owned messaging platform announced that the feature will begin rolling out to its more than three billion users worldwide over the coming months. Starting Monday, users will be able to reserve a unique username through the app, although using one will remain optional.

Once the rollout is complete, people will be able to find and message each other using usernames instead of exchanging phone numbers, adding an extra layer of privacy for users who don't want to share their contact details.

WhatsApp said users can change or remove their usernames at any time. Usernames can be up to 35 characters long, but certain names linked to high-profile public figures and celebrities will be restricted to prevent impersonation.

That means users won't be able to claim names like "Donald Trump" or other protected identities.

The company described the update as a major privacy feature, particularly for people who regularly join community groups, public discussions or interact with people they don't know personally.

Head of Product Alice Newton-Rex noted the feature was born out of user feedback from people who felt uncomfortable exposing their phone numbers in large group chats.

Alice Newton-Rex, WhatsApp's head of product, said the company developed the feature after hearing concerns from users who were uncomfortable sharing their phone numbers in every conversation.

"We had heard from users that they didn't always want to share their phone numbers in order to be in contact with others, particularly in group chats," she said.

She added that the feature would "give users control over how they choose to show up" on the messaging platform.

WhatsApp says people will still be able to block and report unwanted messages, and phone numbers will continue to be required when creating a WhatsApp account. However, once usernames are fully available, individual phone numbers will no longer be visible to other users during chats initiated through usernames.

The company also confirmed there will be no public directory where people can search for usernames.

Privacy concerns remain

While the feature masks phone numbers from other users, privacy advocates like Oxford Professor Carisa Veliz remind consumers that Meta still collects communication metadata for its business backend.

While the feature has been welcomed as a privacy improvement, some experts argue it does not change WhatsApp's wider approach to user data.

Signal, another encrypted messaging app, launched a similar username feature in 2024, allowing users to communicate without exposing their phone numbers.

Carisa Veliz, a professor at Oxford University and author of Privacy is Power, said the new feature is useful but doesn't solve broader privacy concerns.

"It is a good feature, but even if it does offer more privacy, remember WhatsApp is not a privacy-friendly app overall," she said.

"It collects much metadata about users for marketing purposes.

"We have to remember that WhatsApp is owned by Meta - one of the tech companies with the worst track records when it comes to privacy."

WhatsApp has repeatedly said it cannot read users' private conversations because chats are protected with end-to-end encryption. The company does not use the content of messages for advertising.

However, Meta does collect certain metadata, including information such as who users communicate with and when they interact, to help support its advertising business across its platforms.

The username feature comes as WhatsApp continues expanding beyond personal messaging into business communication, payments and AI-powered tools. It also follows a leadership change at the company, with Indian fintech entrepreneur Kunal Shah set to become WhatsApp's new head after Will Cathcart announced he would step down following seven years in the role.

WhatsApp remains one of the world's most widely used messaging apps. Users must be at least 13 years old to create an account, and messaging services are not expected to be covered under the UK's planned social media restrictions for children under 16, which are due to take effect next year.