WhatsApp Opens Username Reservations for 3 Billion Users, Full Launch Coming Later in 2026

What Changed

WhatsApp is adding usernames. Starting this week, users can reserve a handle ahead of the feature's official launch, which Meta says will roll out gradually over the coming months. Users will get an in-app notification when reservations become available in their country.

To reserve a username, open the latest version of WhatsApp and go to Settings > Account > Username on Android. On iOS, tap "You," select your profile, and tap "Create Username." Usernames must be between 3 and 35 characters, according to TechCrunch.

The Privacy Angle

Currently, messaging someone on WhatsApp for the first time requires sharing your phone number. Once usernames go live, new contacts will only need your handle.

"When you meet someone new, whether it's a classmate, a neighbour, or someone you met at an event, sharing your phone number can feel like a big step," Alice Newton-Rex, vice president and head of Product at WhatsApp, told TechCrunch. "Your phone number is personal, and it's tied to so many other parts of your life."

Newton-Rex also highlighted additional privacy controls. Users can set an optional "username key," a code that a new contact must know in addition to the username before they can send a message. During the reservation phase, the key is four digits. When the feature fully launches, it will upgrade to an alphanumeric code, according to Engadget.

One important limit: if you've already shared your phone number with existing WhatsApp contacts or group chats, that number remains visible to them. The privacy protections only apply to new conversations started through a username, as The Verge reported.

No Discovery, By Design

WhatsApp made a deliberate choice: usernames are NOT searchable. You cannot browse for people on the platform. If you want to reach someone, you need to know their exact username. There is also no QR-code option for username-based contact at launch, according to TechCrunch.

Wired reported Newton-Rex framed this directly as a privacy decision, citing Signal's implementation as the closest comparison. "Signal usernames are probably a good comparison," she said. "This will work in a very similar way."

Signal rolled out its username feature in 2024. Telegram and Wire have offered similar functionality for years. WhatsApp, with over 3 billion users, is the last major holdout among the top-tier messaging apps to add it.

Why the Early Reservation Window

Meta says three billion users means enormous name overlap. "A lot of names overlap, which is why we're opening reservations early so everyone has the opportunity to select the username that matters to them," WhatsApp said in its announcement.

Businesses and creators can claim their existing Facebook or Instagram handles as their WhatsApp username, as long as no one else has already taken it. High-profile names such as celebrities, politicians, government entities, and look-alike derivatives have already been reserved by WhatsApp and can only be claimed by their legitimate owners, Newton-Rex told The Verge.

The Fair Concern

Some users will note that this feature changes very little for the platform's existing privacy model. WhatsApp still requires a phone number to create an account. If you're worried about Meta holding your number, usernames don't fix that: Meta still has it. Critics of Meta's data practices have long argued that the underlying account infrastructure, not just visible contact sharing, is the real exposure.

What the feature does address is a narrower, practical problem: preventing a new acquaintance, a business contact, or a stranger from learning your personal phone number the moment you start a conversation.

What Hasn't Changed

The feature is optional. You can turn it off or change your username at any time, according to TechCrunch. Existing contacts who already have your phone number will continue to see it. The username system adds a layer on top of the existing model rather than replacing it.

The full rollout timeline is not pinned to a specific date. Meta has said "later this year" and confirmed the rollout will be gradual by country. As of June 29, 2026, no launch date has been announced. The open question is whether WhatsApp's no-discovery design, which prioritizes privacy over discoverability, will limit adoption compared to Telegram's more open username search, or whether 3 billion users will simply adapt to sharing handles the same way they already share phone numbers.