WhatsApp has begun allowing its more than three billion users to reserve a username, a privacy feature that will let people communicate without exposing their phone numbers to those outside their contact list. Meta announced the reservation period opened this week, with the full feature expected to launch later in 2026.
How It Works
Once the feature goes live, anyone who does not already have a user’s phone number saved will see the username instead. There is no public directory and no suggestion engine, meaning a person must know the exact username to initiate contact. Meta has also built an optional username key, an additional credential that a sender must supply before their message is accepted, giving users a second layer of control over inbound contact.
To reserve a username ahead of the rollout in your region, update WhatsApp to the latest version and navigate to Settings > Account > Username. Users can change or delete a reserved username at any time, though releasing it opens the name for others to claim. Meta has noted that certain usernames are reserved for governments, public figures, and businesses.
Gradual Rollout
The feature is being introduced gradually across countries over the coming months. Users will receive an in-app notification when it becomes available in their region. Meta is opening reservations early precisely because name collisions are likely at this scale, giving users time to secure a preferred handle before the feature activates.
Context
WhatsApp is not the first major encrypted messaging platform to take this step. Signal introduced custom usernames in February 2024, following a public test phase that began in November 2023. The move by Meta brings a comparable privacy control to a significantly larger user base spanning more than 180 countries.
For security-conscious users and organizations that rely on WhatsApp for communications, the username key option in particular offers a meaningful way to reduce unsolicited contact and limit phone number exposure in environments where that information carries operational sensitivity.