WhatsApp is finally, after years of testing and anticipation, introducing usernames. You will be able to reserve yours starting “this week”. The usernames themselves will only roll out “later this year” though, in a gradual manner. WhatsApp will notify you when they’re available in your country.
Obviously, with over three billion users, a lot of people will want the same username, so it’s going to be a wild ride. WhatsApp says it’s adding usernames because “a phone number is personal and it’s tied to so many parts of your life”, and “sometimes you just want to chat without handing over your digits”.
This is, of course, especially true for groups, where you may not want your phone number to be accessible to a lot of people you’ve never met. If you need help picking a username, there will be a built-in generator.
When the ability to reserve a username rolls out to you, you will find it in WhatsApp’s Settings once you tap your profile photo. You will also be able to claim your Facebook or Instagram username and have the same one in WhatsApp.
Once usernames launch in WhatsApp, there will be no directory and no way to browse or search them, and no suggestions – you will need to know someone’s exact username to contact them for the first time. To help with spam, WhatsApp has built an optional username key that others will need to know in order to message you.