WhatsApp Users Can Now Reserve Unique Usernames

Until now, WhatsApp has relied on phone numbers as the primary identifier for users to register and communicate with one another. That, however, is set to change in the near future.

Starting today, WhatsApp has begun allowing users worldwide to choose and reserve a unique username. Users can head to Settings > Account > Username in the WhatsApp app to select and reserve their preferred username.

Based on our testing, WhatsApp currently prioritizes linking your WhatsApp account with your Instagram or Facebook account, encouraging you to use the same username as your other Meta accounts. If that username is unavailable or you prefer otherwise, you can choose a different username specifically for WhatsApp.

The feature remains entirely optional, and users can continue using WhatsApp without adding a username. However, if you do set one, other users will eventually be able to contact you using your username instead of your phone number. To further enhance privacy, WhatsApp also allows you to restrict who can reach you via your username, requiring others to have a special contact key in addition to knowing your username.

With more than 3 billion users worldwide, WhatsApp expects the username reservation process to roll out over the coming months before the feature is fully enabled globally. If you use WhatsApp regularly, you can start reserving your username today by heading to Settings > Account > Username in the app.