WhatsApp users will soon get the option to choose a username, which should relieve anxiety around privacy, since the messaging app previously required you to share your phone number in order to chat.
Facebook announced the feature this morning, saying that WhatsApp was introducing usernames and that you could reserve now, assuming you have the latest version of WhatsApp on your phone (both Android and iOS).
The actual rollout of custom usernames on WhatsApp will happen later this year, but reservations are happening now and some creators, businesses, and organizations can have their usernames match those on Instagram and Facebook.
How to reserve your WhatsApp username
- To reserve your WhatsApp username, you need to be on the latest version of the app (iOS, Android)
- Once updated, you’ll open WhatsApp and head into Settings > Account > Username
- In the app, you’ll walk through a process that lets you create a username or to use the username you have on Instagram or Facebook.
- Once complete, WhatsApp will confirm that you have reserved the name and that people will soon be able to connect with you via that name rather than by phone number.
WhatsApp wasn’t very specific on rollout timing, only saying “later this year” and “over the coming months.”
