No More Numbers: WhatsApp Introduces Usernames For Extra Privacy

Not comfortable sharing your number with your neighbour or in a group chat? Use your username instead.

In a digital era that values privacy more than ever, sharing your personal phone number can feel like a big step regardless of whether it’s with a new friend, a co-worker, or even your next-door neighbour.

Typically, when you exchange contacts via text-messaging app WhatsApp, you’ll need to share your number or take the other person’s phone number. Either way, you will both get to see each other’s contact digits after making the exchange and pressing save.

Of course, there are many ways to keep in touch with another person these days, such as through social media apps or, if you’re a traditionalist, e-mail (let’s not even talk about handwritten letters).

However, keeping connected through WhatsApp is probably the best way these days since there are roughly three billion active users on the app today.

A username feature is being added to protect your privacy better

Meta, the parent company of WhatsApp as well as popular social media platforms Facebook and Instagram, recently announced a username feature for the chat app.

WhatsApp users who have received the new update can reserve their unique username right now. As long as the name you’ve chosen has not been reserved by someone else, it’s yours.

With this feature, you could just give the person you’re exchanging contacts with your username instead of your phone number and vice versa.

Meta said it’s also possible for when you want to join a group chat but are not ready to give your number away to other strangers in the chat.

“Usernames are our latest step to make WhatsApp even more private. There’s no directory to browse and no suggestions — people will need to know your exact username to contact you for the first time.

“To help control who can reach you on WhatsApp with your username, we’ve built an optional username key that others will need to know to message you,” said the tech conglomerate in a statement.

Reserving your optional username only takes a few seconds on the latest version of WhatsApp. All you need to do is go to Settings > Account > Username on the app directly.

If you don’t see the option yet, don’t worry. The feature is being rolled out gradually so you might get it a little later than others.