WhatsApp Username Feature: What It Is & How It Works

WhatsApp chats may soon feel more like Instagram, only with stronger privacy controls. The Meta-owned platform is preparing to introduce usernames, letting users connect without sharing their phone numbers, making interactions more private and less intrusive. The update marks a shift from the current system, where anyone with your phone number can contact you. WhatsApp, which says it has more than 3 billion users globally, has until now relied on phone numbers as the main way to connect. The upcoming feature is "designed to protect the privacy of your phone number," the company said in a statement.