Overview
- This week WhatsApp started activating reserved usernames for a limited group of users so those accounts can be contacted by handle instead of a phone number.
- People who reserved a handle should check Settings > Account > Username to see if their username is active and to create, edit, or delete it.
- Usernames are optional and do not replace phone numbers because WhatsApp still requires a phone number to register and existing chats will continue to show numbers.
- WhatsApp offers an optional username key that forces first-time contacts to enter a PIN before they can message you and will show in-chat notices and home-screen banners when usernames go live.
- Security experts say usernames cut some exposure to number-scraping but will not stop impersonation or AI-driven scams so users should verify identities and avoid revealing personal data in handles.