Meta-owned WhatsApp has started rolling out username reservations for its global user base of roughly 3 billion, allowing people to claim a unique handle before the feature becomes fully operational later this year. The move marks a significant shift for the messaging platform, which has long required users to share their phone numbers to connect.
To reserve a username, users navigate to Settings > Account and tap the Username option under 'Your Account'. If a chosen name is taken, WhatsApp offers suggested alternatives. The company is also reserving certain handles for public figures and entities, and users can link their existing Facebook or Instagram usernames to claim the same handle on WhatsApp.
Once the feature goes live — expected within weeks — users will be able to share their username instead of their phone number. An optional four-digit key adds an extra layer of protection, allowing users to restrict who can contact them to 'People who know my key'. This key can be saved or regenerated at any time, and users can edit or delete their username from the same menu.
For UK businesses, the change could simplify customer outreach. Sharing a recognisable name rather than a phone number may reduce friction and enhance brand consistency, particularly for small firms using WhatsApp as a customer service channel. However, privacy experts caution that the introduction of usernames raises data-handling questions. The UK Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) has previously scrutinised Meta's data practices, and the EU AI Act — which applies to UK firms operating in Europe — may impose additional requirements if Meta uses AI to suggest or manage usernames.
Dr. Eleanor Marsh, a digital privacy researcher at the University of Cambridge, said: 'Usernames reduce the need to expose a phone number, which is a clear privacy win. But the key question is how Meta stores and links that data to other services. The ICO will want assurances that the username system doesn't become another vector for profiling or unwanted contact.' For consumers, the change offers greater control over personal information, though the reliance on Meta's ecosystem means users should remain cautious about data sharing across Facebook and Instagram.