Meta-owned WhatsApp has officially taken the next step toward one of its biggest privacy upgrades yet. After months of beta testing, Meta has announced that users can now reserve their WhatsApp usernames ahead of the feature's wider rollout later this year.
WhatsApp Username Reservations Are Now Rolling Out
The WhatsApp Username feature rolled out first to a limited number of Android and iPhone users earlier this year. Now, Meta has announced that WhatsApp username reservations are now rolling out globally on Android and iPhone.
Users can reserve a unique username by heading over to Settings -> Account -> Username on the latest version of WhatsApp. The reservation process only takes a few seconds.
"With over three billion people on WhatsApp, a lot of names overlap, which is why we’re opening reservations early so everyone has the opportunity to select the username that matters to them," states Meta in a blog post.
Once WhatsApp usernames are fully rolled out, users will be able to message new people and businesses using their usernames instead of revealing their phone numbers, which is a significant step towards privacy.
Unlike phone numbers, however, usernames are entirely optional. Users will still need a phone number to create a WhatsApp account, but they can share their username publicly without exposing their personal contact details. Existing chats and contacts will continue to work as they do today.
Moreover, when someone contacts you through your username for the first time, your phone number will remain hidden as long as you have enabled the feature.
To reduce impersonation, WhatsApp has already reserved usernames for celebrities, public figures and major organisations. Users will also be able to claim the same username they use on Instagram or Facebook if it's available.
Additionally, WhatsApp is introducing an optional username key, which is a unique four-digit code that can be attached to your username. This acts as an additional layer of protection, ensuring that someone who knows your username alone cannot necessarily message you without the matching key.
One notable limitation is that WhatsApp will not introduce a public username directory. Users won't be able to browse or search for random usernames, meaning they will still need to know a person's exact username to start a conversation.
Meta says username reservations are rolling out "starting this week", while the complete username experience will become available to everyone "later this year". We tried it on our end and haven't yet been able to reserve a WhatsApp username. However, there's nothing to worry about as the feature will gradually reach all users. s
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