WhatsApp Introduces a New Way to Connect Without Phone Numbers

Mobile phone users exchange contacts

For years, starting a conversation on WhatsApp has required one thing: exchanging phone numbers. Whether you met someone at a conference, a networking event or through a mutual friend, sharing your personal number was the only way to connect.

That is about to change.

WhatsApp is introducing usernames, allowing people to find and message each other without exchanging phone numbers. Instead, users will be able to share a unique username, similar to how people connect on platforms like Facebook, X, Instagram and Telegram.

Each username can be up to 35 characters long and can be changed or removed at any time. The feature is designed to give users greater control over their privacy by keeping their phone numbers hidden while still allowing them to communicate. Users will also continue to have the option to block or report unwanted contacts.

The update marks one of WhatsApp's biggest changes in years, bringing the messaging platform closer to the way many other social media and messaging services already work. For billions of users around the world, connecting on WhatsApp may soon be as simple as asking, "What's your username?"

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