WhatsApp username feature: How does it work, how you can chat without phone number, and why it matters ?
PTC News Desk: WhatsApp users may soon have a new way to connect without revealing their phone numbers. The Meta-owned platform is preparing to introduce usernames, letting users connect without sharing their phone numbers, making interactions more private and less intrusive.
The latest update marks a significant shift from the current one which enables anyone with your number to contact you. Till now WhatsApp has been dependent entirely on the phone numbers as the main way to connect.
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The company announced the feature in an official blog post on Monday, saying the rollout will happen gradually over the coming months, according to a WhatsApp. The upcoming feature is "designed to protect the privacy of your phone number," the company said in a statement.
The development also marks one of the WhatsApp's biggest privacy-focused modifications, providing the user to engage using a username instead of sharing mobile numbers.
Users can reserve usernames
WhatsApp has rolled out the new feature allowing the users to reserve a username in advance to secure the handle they want. The company said this early reservation process is necessary because the platform now has more than three billion users worldwide.
The feature is optional and will eventually let users replace their phone number with a username when messaging someone for the first time, provided the option is enabled.
How to reserve a WhatsApp username ?
The users can reserve a username for themselves by updating the app to its latest version and going to Settings > Account > Username.
The messaging platform also stated that unlike other social media handles, WhatsApp will not have a search directory and instead people will only be able to contact someone if they already know the exact username.
The new feature is also aimed at giving benefit to creators, business organisations that already have an established online identity.
- With inputs from agencies
