Meta-owned app will let users chat without sharing phone numbers, with rollout planned over coming months.
Image: Code24
WhatsApp will begin allowing users to create unique usernames, removing the need to share phone numbers when connecting with others, the company said.
The change is designed to improve privacy, particularly in group chats or when messaging businesses for the first time. Phone numbers will no longer be automatically visible in many interactions.
Users will instead need to share a specific username, with no public directory or search suggestions available. This means contacts can only be made if the exact username is known.
Meta said the feature will be rolled out gradually worldwide over the coming months. It also confirmed that creators, small businesses and organisations will be able to claim usernames matching their handles on platforms like Facebook and Instagram.
