If you’ve ever been reluctant to share your personal number with someone just to start a conversation on WhatsApp, the platform has an update that will make you feel much more comfortable, one that Signal has had for two years now.
WhatsApp has finally confirmed usernames, a phone-number-free approach to connecting with people on the platform. However, given that the feature will roll out to three billion people on the app, you’d better hurry to lock yours in before someone else steals it.
So what’s actually happening here?
Starting this week, WhatsApp will let you reserve a username for your account (3 to 35 characters).
The idea is to let you share a handle instead of your phone number when connecting with someone. Whether that’s a classmate, a neighbor, or someone you just met, if you don’t quite trust them with your phone number, you can share the username instead.
What you should know, however, is that the feature will actually go live later this year. Once it goes live and you enable it for your account, people messaging you for the first time won’t see your phone number.
What’s even better is that there’s no public directory to browse or a suggestion engine either, so your username won’t randomly surface for strangers. People need to know your exact username to find you.
What else is WhatsApp doing to protect your privacy with usernames?
WhatsApp is also building in an optional username key, an additional layer that requires someone to have that key in addition to your username before they can message you.
Creators, small businesses, and brands can also claim their existing Instagram or Facebook username on WhatsApp, which is a smart move to keep things consistent across platforms, and that is exactly why I asked you to reserve yours as soon as possible.
Reserving your username takes seconds. Simply go to Settings, then Account, then Username. The full rollout will take place gradually, region by region, and WhatsApp will notify you when usernames are live in your region.