WhatsApp Is Finally Ditching Phone Numbers for Usernames

Say goodbye to sharing your phone number

Until now, using WhatsApp meant handing over your personal number, which many users have found uncomfortable, especially when chatting in large groups, doing business, or meeting new people online. The upcoming username system solves this by allowing you to share a unique ID instead.

Here’s how it will work

According to WABetaInfo’s findings, usernames on WhatsApp will need to follow a few rules:

• They must include at least one letter
• They can’t start with “www.”
• They can use lowercase letters (a–z), numbers (0–9), periods, and underscores
• They must be between 3 and 30 characters

This helps prevent spam and impersonation attempts while also giving users room to personalize their handles.

Once you’ve selected a valid username, WhatsApp will confirm it with a cheerful confetti animation. From that point, it becomes tied to your account. Any username changes will trigger an automatic message in your chats, just like when you update your profile photo or phone number.

Why this feature matters now

This move is more than just a quality-of-life update. It addresses growing concerns around digital privacy and scams.

For years, users, particularly women and younger users, have hesitated to share their WhatsApp numbers due to the risk of spam, harassment, or phishing attempts. In some cases, just one exchange can lead to a barrage of unwanted messages, calls, or worse.

With usernames, WhatsApp can give users more control over how they share their identity online, without limiting how they use the platform.