Overview
- WhatsApp has opened a global reservation phase so users can claim unique handles now ahead of a wider username messaging launch later in 2026.
- When the feature goes live, first-time contacts will see a username instead of a phone number for accounts that enable it, which reduces exposure of users’ digits in new conversations.
- WhatsApp will not create a public username directory so people must know an exact handle to message someone, and users can add an optional numeric 'username key' as a second gate for first-time contacts.
- The system still requires phone numbers to register accounts and any numbers already shared in contacts or visible in groups will remain visible, so usernames do not make accounts anonymous.
- WhatsApp is reserving high-profile names to limit impersonation, offering a username generator, and allowing eligible creators and businesses to claim matching Instagram or Facebook handles as part of a privacy-focused shift for its three billion users.