WhatsApp Is Finally Getting Usernames: Here’s How It Works

WhatsApp is rolling out a pretty big privacy change that’s going to let people connect with each other without ever having to hand over their actual phone number.

Starting this week, you can lock in a username for yourself ahead of the official rollout later this year, and given that WhatsApp has something like 3 billion users worldwide, it makes sense that Meta wants to let people grab their preferred name early before someone else snags it first.

The basic idea is that once this fully rolls out, messaging a new contact or a business for the first time won’t require sharing your number at all, as long as you go with your username instead.

Meta says it built the feature with privacy as the priority from the start, which is why there’s no public directory where people can browse or search for usernames. Someone has to already know your exact username to start a conversation with you, there’s no way to stumble onto it through search. There’s also an optional username key you can set up, which works kind of like a secondary code that a new contact has to enter before they’re able to message you, adding another layer of control over who can actually reach you.

There’s also a nice perk built in for public figures, creators, and brands who want their identity to stay consistent across apps, since Meta is letting them claim the same handle they already use on Facebook or Instagram, so people can find the same name everywhere.

If you want to grab your username now, it only takes a minute. Just head into Settings, tap Account, and you’ll see the option for Username sitting right there.

As for timing, Meta says it’s rolling this out gradually over the next few months region by region, and you’ll get a notification once it’s live wherever you are. Let us know if you’re seeing this live in Canada, because it’s not yet.

Update June 29, 8:24pm PT: We are seeing this username option live in Canada, available in the iPhone app. As you can see in our screenshot, the top of the main page has a note that says, “usernames are coming soon.”

Once you tap ‘reserve yours’, the next page gives you options to either:

1. create username
2. use Instagram username
3. use Facebook username

If you choose to ‘create username’, it tells you if your choice is available or not. Click next, then it will tell you that your username is reserved. “When usernames become available you can share your username instead of your phone number when telling someone how to contact you for the first time.”