WhatsApp has started letting users reserve usernames, ahead of a broader rollout planned for later this year that will allow people to message and call each other without sharing phone numbers.
Users can now secure their preferred username through the Profile section in WhatsApp settings. The reservation system is designed to prevent username squatting and ensure a fair distribution once the full feature becomes available to all users.
The username feature, years in development, addresses one of WhatsApp’s longest-standing privacy limitations. Until now, anyone who wanted to contact someone on the platform needed their phone number, a requirement that made it difficult to use WhatsApp for professional interactions, marketplace transactions, or any situation where a user wanted to keep their number private.
WhatsApp said the feature will support end-to-end encryption, the same standard already applied to all messages on the platform. “Messages shared with username accounts are end-to-end encrypted,” the company confirmed. “Only the sender and the recipient can read the messages, and not even WhatsApp can access their content.”
The system also introduces an optional “username key”, a four-digit code that users can set alongside their username. Anyone contacting a user for the first time will need both the username and this key to start a conversation, providing an additional layer of spam protection.
Usernames can be between 3 and 35 characters and accept numbers, periods, and underscores. They cannot begin with “www” to prevent website impersonation. Usernames are not publicly browsable — people need to know a user’s exact username to contact them.
The rollout follows extensive testing through WhatsApp’s beta program, where the feature has been in development since early 2026. WABetaInfo, which tracks WhatsApp changes, reported that the company modified core infrastructure components to support the new system while maintaining full compatibility with existing features.
Meta has also introduced a Business-Scoped User ID (BSUID) for companies using the WhatsApp API, allowing authenticated enterprises to communicate with customers without exposing phone numbers. Businesses using the API have been given a June 2026 deadline to update their systems for username compatibility.
The feature is expected to roll out in phases, with initial access limited before expanding to all users globally.
Sources: WhatsApp is launching usernames: here’s how to reserve yours (The Verge, June 29, 2026); WhatsApp is working towards a public launch of the username feature (WABetaInfo, April 8, 2026)