Till now, sharing a mobile number was required to chat with someone new on WhatsApp, but this is about to change. Meta-owned WhatsApp has announced the launch of a username feature. With this, people will be able to chat using only their username without revealing their mobile number. The company had started username booking worldwide from June 29. However, this feature will not be available to all users at once; It will be gradually rolled out in all countries in the coming months. When this feature is available in a user’s region, they will receive an in-app notification.
**First, understand why it’s important to book a username early**
With millions of users around the world, many people may choose the same or similar username. Therefore, people who book their username early have a better chance of getting the username of their choice.
**WhatsApp head Kunal Shah wrote on X:**
Right timing is very important. Join WhatsApp and reserve your username before the feature launches globally. This is the right time to get a username of your choice. A more private way to connect with people is coming soon to WhatsApp.
**What will change with this new feature?**
With the introduction of the username feature, your phone number will not automatically appear in some situations, such as:
When you are added to a large group chat.
When you message someone for the first time.
This change ensures that your phone number remains private; This will only appear if you choose to share it yourself.
**8 important questions and answers about WhatsApp username feature**
**Why did WhatsApp start the username feature?** WhatsApp says that people often want to communicate with new people without sharing their mobile number. It’s important to maintain privacy when talking to people you meet at networking events, new classmates, neighbors, or other parents at your child’s school or sports group. In such a case, users will be able to share only their username instead of their mobile number.
What are the rules for creating a username? Usernames must be 3 to 35 characters long. They can only contain lowercase letters (az), numbers (0-9), periods (.), and underscores (_). Every username will be completely unique. Users will be able to change, delete or update it as per their need.
Will the mobile number remain completely hidden? Yes, but only to people who are contacting you for the first time. If you set a username, no new person will be able to see your mobile number. However, creating and using a WhatsApp account will require the same mobile number as before. People who already have your number saved will still be able to chat with you.
Will someone be able to find your number by searching your username? No. WhatsApp will not create a public username directory. The Company will also not suggest your username to other users. Only if someone knows your correct username will they be able to message you.
What is ‘username key’? WhatsApp is also introducing a new optional security feature called ‘Username Key’. This security code will work like PIN. If a user enables this, a stranger will not be able to message them just by knowing their username. The person who is messaging for the first time will have to enter this key first; Only after that the chat will start. Users will be able to change this key whenever they want. Its purpose is to reduce spam and unwanted messages.
How will this affect existing chats and contacts? Existing chats, contacts and groups will work as before. For people who already have your number, nothing will change. All security features – such as end-to-end encryption, blocking and reporting – will continue to work as usual.
What will be the biggest benefit of this feature? You will not need to share your mobile number to talk to new people. User privacy will be much stronger and this will help in reducing spam and unwanted messages. It will be easier for creators and businesses to maintain a consistent digital identity across Meta’s different platforms.
People who already have your phone number saved.
People you’ve chatted with before.
People who are in the group you shared.
People who have scanned your QR code.
People to whom you have previously sent messages.
The central government has refused to extend the February 28 deadline for implementing the ‘SIM ban’ rules. Under the new rules, messaging apps like WhatsApp, Telegram and Signal will not work if the mobile device does not have a SIM card. Logged-in WhatsApp sessions on the computer will also be automatically logged out after six hours. The government claims that this step will help in preventing cyber fraud.