At the beginning of 2024, the world’s most popular messaging app (over 2 billion monthly users), once again hinted at such a feature coming in the near future.
Now, the highly informative WABetaInfo platform reports that these plans, albeit delayed, are not yet scrapped.
WhatsApp is still working on a feature that will let users create unique usernames, enhancing privacy by allowing messaging without sharing phone numbers. This feature, currently in development, is expected to be available in a future update of the web client. Once it’s active on the web client, I expect it to arrive on Android and iOS as well, so stay tuned!
The goal is to enable users to personalize their profiles and connect using a unique identifier. This will add an extra layer of privacy and convenience, as users can find and connect with friends, family, and contacts without sharing phone numbers.
The report shows a screenshot from WhatsApp’s ongoing exploration of this feature, scheduled for a future update:
Image credit – WABetaInfo
So, users will be able to select a unique username, provided it hasn’t been taken. Unlike platforms like Discord, WhatsApp usernames will be unique without a discriminator or tag, ensuring no confusion or duplication.
Users will check the availability of their desired username during setup, securing a unique identifier.
However, existing contacts who have your phone number – the prerequisite for joining WhatsApp – will still be able to find you on WhatsApp. Once a username is set, only those who know your username or phone number can contact you, adding control over who can initiate conversations.
In a nutshell, if you want to chat with someone and not have them see your phone number, you could do so thanks to the username. However, people who already have your phone number will still be able to find you on WhatsApp, ensuring that your existing contacts or other people you trust can continue to reach you using the default method.
Although WhatsApp has been developing this feature for some time, it remains in development, with specific release details uncertain.