WhatsApp’s New Username System is Now Available for Some Beta Testers

WhatsApp has started testing a new username system with some beta testers on iOS and Android, WABetaInfo is reporting today. The WhatsApp team first teased username support in October 2024, explaining at the time that the new system would allow WhatsApp users to keep their phone numbers private.

Creating a WhatsApp username will be optional, similar to how usernames work on other messaging apps like Signal and Telegram. After picking up a username, WhatsApp beta testers can choose to set up an optional username key, which other users will need to know in addition to their username to contact them for the first time.

To create a unique username, WhatsApp users will need to follow some rules to not mislead users: Usernames can’t start with ‘www’, and they also can’t end with a domain like ‘.com’. To maintain some consistency across Meta’s different platforms, WhatsApp users also get the option to reuse their Instagram or Facebook username. However, this will require linking the different accounts in Meta’s Account Center.

While this new username system is only available for a limited number of beta testers at the moment, the WhatsApp team also launched a new CarPlay experience for iPhone users this week. The redesigned interface now lets CarPlay users send messages, make calls, and see call history and favorite contacts.