Overview
- WhatsApp began a phased campaign for users to reserve unique usernames starting Monday, June 29, as part of a move away from phone-number identification.
- Under the new system, a user’s phone number will not be exposed automatically when someone adds them to a group or sends a first message, and contacting a person will require their username.
- Meta framed usernames as a privacy feature and said creators, small businesses, and organizations can request to reuse their Facebook or Instagram handles on WhatsApp for continuity.
- WhatsApp did not publish a detailed global timetable and will notify countries individually as the reservation rollout reaches them, with broad availability expected before the end of 2026.
- Because WhatsApp has more than 3 billion accounts, many users may not get their first-choice handle, which could create competition for short or common usernames and change how people find and add contacts.