WhatsApp is launching usernames: here’s how to reserve yours

Jun 29, 2026 11:00 PM - 2 hours ago 45

Jess Weatherbed

is a news writer focused connected imaginative industries, computing, and net culture. Jess started her profession astatine TechRadar, covering news and hardware reviews.

WhatsApp is introducing a caller measurement to adhd and chat pinch contacts, without having to stock your telephone number. Usernames will beryllium launching “later this year,” successful a move to make the communications level “even much private,” allowing you to support your telephone number concealed from group who aren’t already successful your contacts.

Usernames are disposable to reserve starting this week, giving you clip to declare a circumstantial grip you whitethorn already beryllium utilizing elsewhere earlier the WhatsApp username characteristic officially launches. The username motorboat will beryllium rolling retired gradually complete the coming months, and users will beryllium notified erstwhile the characteristic is disposable successful their country.

“With complete 3 cardinal group connected WhatsApp a batch of names overlap, which is why we’re opening reservations early truthful everyone has the opportunity to prime the username that matters to them,” WhatsApp said successful its announcement.

A gif showing really to entree the username cardinal characteristic coming to WhatsApp later this year.

You tin reserve your username by heading to Settings > Account > Username successful the latest type of WhatsApp. Individuals and organizations will person the action to declare their existing Instagram aliases Facebook handles to thief forestall WhatsApp impersonators. Similarly, WhatsApp merchandise caput Alice Newton-Rex told The Verge that usernames for celebrated figures for illustration celebrities and politicians person already been reserved to forestall them from being claimed — truthful if you stock a sanction pinch a recognized nationalist figure, you’ll person to create an replacement handle.

You can’t browse for group utilizing their usernames, truthful you’ll request to cognize the exact username of a caller interaction earlier you tin scope retired to them. If you’ve already shared your telephone number pinch WhatsApp contacts aliases group chats, the number will still beryllium visible to them aft you alteration the username feature, truthful these privateness protections only use to caller conversations going forward.

WhatsApp is besides introducing an “optional username key” that others will request to cognize earlier they tin connection you, to thief you power who tin scope you pinch a WhatsApp username if it’s made nationalist without your consent.

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