WhatsApp finally begins rolling out username support

After years of leaks, rumors, and even early sneak peeks within test builds, WhatsApp's username support is finally starting to roll out.

Signs pointing at username support for the world's most used messaging app first started emerging all the way back in 2023. The messaging giant has made progress over the years, with last year being the most pivotal.

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By  Rajesh Pandey

Now, the result of all of that work is finally starting to reach WhatsApp users, as pointed out by WABetaInfo.

Support has reportedly taken this long because Meta wants to ensure that the WhatsApp username experience is stable and secure. The app's code has reportedly been updated on several occasions to make sure all existing features are fully compatible with usernames.

The messaging giant is in the 'username final stretch,' and although support hasn't made its way out widely just yet, it is starting to show up for some as part of a phased rollout.

Check for access

To check if you're part of the initial rollout, open WhatsApp and head to Settings. If support has been rolled out to you, you'll see a dedicated 'Username' section.

Tap the new option, and you'll be taken to the username creation screen, as seen in the screenshot above. As leaked earlier, users will have the option to create a new username, or go with the one they use on Facebook or Instagram.

It's worth noting that users will have to abide by the messaging giant's 'username rules.' These include:

• Usernames can't begin with "www."
• Usernames must contain at least one letter.
• Only certain characters are allowed: lowercase letters (a–z), numbers (0–9), periods, and underscores.
• Usernames can not end with a domain like .com or .net.
• Usernames can not start or end with a period.
• Character length must be between 3 and 30 characters.

Once created, users will be able to share their username instead of their phone number when exchanging contact details.

Considering that support has begun rolling out to a few, public availability should follow soon. We'll have more to share if and when the feature goes live for us.