WhatsApp launches usernames so users can connect without sharing phone numbers

Meta announced it is rolling out usernames for WhatsApp, letting people connect without sharing their phone numbers — a significant identity and privacy change for one of the world's largest messaging platforms. The company is urging users to reserve their preferred username now, ahead of broader availability.

The shift decouples WhatsApp identity from phone numbers, which has long been the app's core friction point and privacy liability. It brings WhatsApp closer to the identity model of platforms like Telegram and Signal, where usernames enable contact without revealing a number.

While not strictly an AI story, it's relevant to Meta's broader platform strategy as it layers AI features (Muse Spark, Meta AI) across its apps — a more flexible identity layer supports new social and AI-mediated interactions. It also reflects Meta's continued investment in WhatsApp as a business and engagement surface.

The announcement was straightforward, with Meta framing it as user-requested privacy improvement. Skeptics may note the rollout pace and ask how username squatting, impersonation, and spam will be handled at WhatsApp's scale. What to watch: the reservation window, abuse-prevention mechanisms, and how usernames integrate with WhatsApp Business and AI features.