WhatsApp lets users reserve usernames before the global launch

WhatsApp's change to its identification system was announced this week. Although it has not yet been rolled out, users can already reserve usernames in the app.

The messaging platform has become one of the most widely used worldwide, with more than 3 billion active users. In Portugal, it leads with an 89.9% penetration rate among social media users and is also the platform used most frequently each day, according to Marktest data.

WhatsApp usernames and greater privacy

The platform is now preparing to change one of its founding rules: users will no longer have to share a phone number to begin a conversation. Meta said this week that it has started making username reservations available ahead of the feature's global launch. The new option is already active for some users, allowing them to select a unique identifier similar to those used on Telegram and social networks such as Instagram.

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The change addresses growing privacy concerns. For years, WhatsApp worked as an extension of the SIM card, meaning that speaking to someone required revealing a personal phone number. Usernames remove that need for exposure. Contact will instead be made through a public identifier, reducing the risks of spam, scams and digital harassment.

WhatsApp has increasingly been used for scams, including the one known as “Hello Dad, Hello Mum”, which uses mass contact systems based on phone numbers. However, it is not yet clear whether this new system will prevent these types of schemes.

According to Meta, there will be no public search directory. To contact someone, users will need to know the exact name, adding an extra layer of security and privacy. The platform is also introducing a “username key”, an optional key that acts as an additional security mechanism during the first contact. A phone number will still be required to create an account, but it will no longer be visible to anyone starting a conversation through a username.

How to reserve a username on WhatsApp

1) Open the account settings

Open the app and tap Settings (the cog icon). This is where Meta is making access to the new feature available.

2) Find the “Username” option

In Settings, open Account. If the feature is already enabled for your profile, you will see the new Username section, which is still being introduced gradually.

3) Choose and reserve the name

Enter the identifier you want to use. WhatsApp automatically checks whether it is available. As Meta expects millions of reservations, it is important to secure the name you use on other platforms (Instagram, Facebook, etc.).

4) Save and activate it

Confirm your choice. From that point onwards, other people can contact you using only the username, without seeing your phone number, strengthening privacy and security.

By Fátima Caçador