WhatsApp To Allow Users To Chat Without Sharing Phone Numbers

WhatsApp is set to enable users to chat without disclosing their phone numbers by exchanging unique usernames instead.

The feature will be rolled out globally to the platform’s three billion account holders over the coming months, the platform announced.

Starting Monday, users will be able to reserve a username in the app, though it will not be mandatory.

The company stated that individuals could remove or change their usernames at any time.

Once fully activated, WhatsApp users will be able to connect simply by exchanging usernames. There will still be options to block or report unwanted messages.

Usernames will be limited to 35 characters, with a few restrictions—aside from high-profile officials and celebrities whose names will not be available to others.

This means it is unlikely that WhatsApp will be flooded with users calling themselves Donald Trump, for instance.

The Meta-owned firm described usernames as a feature that enhances privacy.

Alice Newton-Rex, WhatsApp’s head of product, mentioned that she had heard from users who preferred not to share their phone numbers to contact others, particularly in group chats.

She expressed hope that the feature would “give users control over how they choose to present themselves” on the app.

WhatsApp illustrated the usernames feature with a graphic displaying a series of user profiles featuring usernames instead of phone numbers, emphasising how it would help users keep their phone numbers private.

The secure messaging app Signal introduced a similar service in 2024.

“It is a good feature, but even if it does offer more privacy, remember that WhatsApp is not particularly privacy-friendly overall,” commented Carisa Veliz, a professor at Oxford University and author of Privacy is Power.

“It collects a substantial amount of metadata about users for marketing purposes.

“We must bear in mind that WhatsApp is owned by Meta—one of the tech companies with the poorest track records regarding privacy.”

WhatsApp does not use the content of private chats for advertising, as these are protected by end-to-end encryption, which means the company cannot read their contents.

However, it does utilise data—such as who you message and when—to assist in advertising.

Once the feature is fully implemented, individual phone numbers will no longer be visible on WhatsApp.

There will be no public directory of usernames, and phone numbers will still be required to create a WhatsApp account.

The minimum age for using the platform is 13, and messaging apps will not be included in the UK’s upcoming social media ban for under-16s, set to be implemented next year.

Recently, it was announced that Kunal Shah, the founder of an Indian fintech start-up, will take over as head of the platform, with Will Cathcart stepping down after seven years in the role.