WhatsApp is soon to roll out a feature that has been a mainstay on Telegram: usernames.
For those unfamiliar, this will mean that you can chat and save a contact without either of you having to share your phone numbers. This will help enhance privacy for the reported 3 billion monthly active users on the Meta-owned platform.
Enabling a username only protects your privacy in new chats. Any contacts or groups that already have your phone number will still be able to see it.
Users on the messaging platform can, from this week, reserve a specific unique WhatsApp username, with usage of the feature set to begin “later this year.”
“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,” the platform stated in a notice.
Rollout will be gradual across different regions, and WhatsApp promises to notify users when the feature launches in their country.
READ: WhatsApp Now Warns You Before You Open a Chat With a Stranger
For now, reservation of the usernames can be done if one has the latest version of WhatsApp.
How to Reserve a WhatsApp Username
On WhatsApp, clicking on Settings, then Account, will lead one to the Username tab. This is where one creates a username, or for the areas where the feature is yet to roll out, reserves a username.
Once you enter your desired username, the app will instantly check its availability and display a confirmation. If your first choice is already taken, you can view a list of alternative suggestions generated based on your initial text.
After finding the perfect match, simply tap “save” and then “done” to finalize the process. Username changes can also be done if the new desired username is available.
The platform has made it possible for individual users and businesses to reserve their current Instagram or Facebook usernames. This move is meant to mitigate impersonations.
WhatsApp has already reserved usernames for celebrities, politicians, and other notable public figures, so they cannot be claimed.
If you share a name with a public figure, you’ll need to choose a different username.
To prevent spam and unsolicited messages, WhatsApp will not feature a public directory; users must know a contact’s exact username to initiate a chat.
Additionally, a new “optional username key” acts as a secondary layer of security. This PIN-like feature ensures that even if your username is leaked or shared publicly without your consent, strangers still cannot message you without knowing the key.
The platform noted, “There’s no directory to browse and no suggestions – people will need to know your exact username to contact you for the first time. To help control who can reach you on WhatsApp with your username, we’ve built an optional username key that others will need to know to message you.”
WhatsApp Business and WhatsApp will both have the username feature.
