WhatsApp to Launch 'Usernames' That Hide Phone Numbers

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - WhatsApp announced it will introduce a "username" feature that allows users to communicate with others without having to share their personal phone numbers.

Alice Newton-Rex, WhatsApp Vice President and Head of Product, said the feature is designed to improve user privacy on the instant messaging app owned by Meta.

"We're launching the next major privacy improvement on WhatsApp: usernames. This is a new way to connect with someone without giving them your phone number," Alice said in an online presentation in Jakarta on Monday, June 29, 2026.

Starting this week, users can reserve usernames to use when the feature officially launches later this year. Alice explained that the username feature is designed to give users greater control over who can see their phone numbers.

"Usernames are designed to give you control over who can see your phone number from the start. This is a completely optional feature. You can choose your own username, change it, or delete it," she said.

Alice believes that sharing a personal phone number often presents a barrier when someone wants to communicate with new people, such as schoolmates, neighbors, or members of communities and groups.

She gave the example of a user who wants to join a community group or parent-teacher group but isn't ready to share their phone number with strangers.

To maintain privacy, WhatsApp ensures it will not provide a search directory or username recommendations. Someone must know the exact username before they can contact another user for the first time.

As an added layer of security, WhatsApp is also offering an optional username lock feature, which requires others to know before they can send a message to the account owner.

Once this feature is launched, users who activate a username will no longer need to reveal their phone number when sending a message for the first time, unless the number is already saved by the other person.

"If you activate a username when messaging a person or business for the first time, they will no longer see your phone number unless they have already saved it," said Alice.

In addition to individual users, WhatsApp also offers the option for content creators, small businesses, and organizations to use the same username as their existing Instagram or Facebook accounts.

To help users find a suitable name, WhatsApp also provides a username generator that can provide various name recommendations.

The username feature will be rolled out gradually over the next few months. Users can make reservations through the Settings > Account > Username menu in the latest version of WhatsApp and will receive a notification when the feature is available in their respective countries.

WhatsApp emphasizes that the presence of usernames does not alter the platform's core security. Private messages and calls remain protected with automatic end-to-end encryption.

Read: Fact Check: Do WhatsApp Profile Colors Reveal If You're Blocked?

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