WhatsApp Starts Global Username Reservations to Boost User Privacy

Meta-owned WhatsApp on Monday announced the start of global reservations of usernames, a major privacy feature designed to protect the privacy of users’ phone number.

Usernames reservations will begin rolling out on Monday, allowing people to create and reserve a username before the feature is available in-app later this year.

Once reservations become available, users will be notified in the app. For most people, choosing a WhatsApp username should be something unique that only people you want to contact you will know, said WhatsApp.

“A username is a way for you to connect with someone on WhatsApp without giving away your phone number. You choose your own, and it doesn't have to match your handle on any other app,” the Mark Zuckerberg-owned platform said in a statement.

At its core, it's a privacy feature, not a social media handle — there's no directory to browse and no suggestions, so people need to know your exact username to contact you with your username for the first time, it added.

“Your phone number is protected. You can now share your unique username instead of your digits. There’s no public directory and no suggestions – people need to know your exact username to find you. You can update your username right in the app,” said WhatsApp.

To control who can message you, you can set up a “username key”, so that anyone messaging you for the very first time via your username will need the key to reach you, adding one more layer of protection for your account. You can change the key at any time.

Last week, Meta CEO Zuckerberg said that CRED founder Kunal Shah will join Meta as WhatsApp’s next global CEO. Meta is also investing around $900 million (nearly Rs 8,550 crore) in the fintech company CRED.