But that means the race to get the best WhatsApp username is about to begin. Hold tight.
WhatsApp says username reservation will open on the platform this week, and you’ll see a notification in the app when it’s available. Go to app and check settings And then Account. This is where you’ll find username Tab if it’s enabled. Then, you’ll have the option to create a new username or port over your existing name from Instagram or Facebook. WhatsApp offers a username generator, but you can also just go with what’s on your mind (or really whatever you’re feeling at the moment).
“Usernames are designed to give you control over who sees your phone number first,” says Alice Newton-Rex, vice president of product at WhatsApp. “This is an optional feature; you choose your own username, you can change or delete it, and it doesn’t have to match your handle or account name on any other app.”
Newton-Rex emphasized that this feature of WhatsApp has been designed keeping in mind the privacy of the user. There is no public list of usernames for people to search. Users can also add an extra layer of security, whereby only people who know a unique four-digit key in addition to their username are allowed to contact them.
courtesy of whatsapp
These usernames will remain entirely optional, but Newton-Rex sees this new choice as a privacy measure that many existing users have already expressed enthusiasm about. “I think we’ll see a lot of adoption, but it’s one of those things that we learn as we start doing it,” she says.
WhatsApp isn’t shy about this feature’s similarity to its competitors. “Signal usernames are probably a good comparison,” Newton-Rex says. “It will work exactly the same way.” Signal released usernames on its platform in 2024. Many messaging apps are still experimenting with different methods for users to connect without sharing numbers. For example, Germ DM allows its users to create “burner cards” so that people can join multiple groups in different ways.
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