WhatsApp Announces Major Change: Username to Replace Phone Number for Contact Sharing

WhatsApp has announced one of the most significant changes in its history, stating that it will soon introduce a username feature that will allow users to start chats without sharing their phone numbers. According to the messaging platform, users will still need a phone number to create an account, but will later be able to choose a unique username and share it with others. The feature is being introduced as a major privacy enhancement, as phone numbers are considered sensitive personal information linked to many aspects of daily life. With this change, users will no longer be required to share their phone numbers when meeting new contacts or joining groups. Instead, usernames will be used to initiate conversations, while phone numbers will remain hidden. WhatsApp said that usernames will not function like typical social media handles and will not be publicly searchable. Users will also be able to use an automatic generator to create unique usernames. Additionally, businesses, content creators, and organizations will be able to use the same usernames they have on Instagram or Facebook. The feature will be accessible through the app’s updated settings menu (Settings > Account > Username), although full rollout is expected later this year. The update is seen as a major step toward enhanced privacy and could strengthen WhatsApp’s competition with apps such as Signal and Telegram.