Tech Desk 
Jun 03, 2025
Although having a username, instead of a contact number, may not be high on your priority list for WhatsApp, the messaging platform is working on this feature, enabling users to create a username for their accounts, ditching the need to share their personal contact number with others.
As reported by WABetaInfo, the username feature was also spotted in the code of a recent iOS update via the TestFlight beta programme. It is currently in the development phase and not yet available for users to test.
Usernames on WhatsApp seem to be a step towards privacy enhancement, which will also provide a personalised experience by allowing individuals to express their identity without disclosing sensitive information.
It was also reported that WhatsApp will issue a set of instructions for username creation to ensure consistency and security. One of the supposed restrictions is that usernames cannot start with "www" or end with domains like ".com" so that confusion with official websites can be avoided.
Moreover, usernames on WhatsApp must be in lower case, allowing numbers, periods, and underscores, and must contain at least 3 characters. It should be noted that a username can be 30 characters long at most.
After successfully creating a valid username, WhatsApp will display a confirmation screen with a celebratory animation. From that point onwards, users without a phone number will see the username in new conversations and group chats.
