WhatsApp Introduces Usernames: Here’s How to Claim Yours

WhatsApp is rolling out a new feature that allows users to connect and chat without sharing their phone numbers. Usernames will be available “later this year,” enhancing privacy by keeping your phone number hidden from those not in your contacts.

Starting this week, you can reserve your desired username, giving you a chance to claim a handle you might already use elsewhere before the official launch. The rollout will happen gradually over the next few months, with notifications sent to users when the feature becomes available in their region.

With over three billion users on WhatsApp, name overlap is common, which is why early reservations are being offered to ensure everyone can select a meaningful username.

To reserve your username, go to Settings > Account > Username in the latest Android version of WhatsApp, or for iOS, tap You, select your profile, and then choose Create Username. Both individuals and organizations can claim their existing Instagram or Facebook handles, provided they haven’t been taken. WhatsApp’s product head mentioned that usernames for well-known figures have already been reserved to prevent unauthorized claims, so if your name matches a celebrity or public figure, you’ll need to come up with a different handle.

You won’t be able to search for users by their usernames, so you’ll need to know the exact username of anyone you want to contact. If you’ve previously shared your phone number with WhatsApp contacts or group chats, that number will still be visible to them after you enable the username feature, meaning these privacy enhancements apply only to new conversations.

Additionally, WhatsApp is introducing an “optional username key” that others will need to know in order to message you, giving you more control over who can reach you via your public username.