WhatsApp announced the global rollout of username reservations on Monday, a feature designed to let users connect without revealing their phone numbers. The optional capability aims to shield the phone numbers of its over three billion users from unwanted contacts.
The move addresses a longstanding privacy concern on the messaging platform, where sharing a phone number was previously the only way to initiate contact. Username reservations begin rolling out today.
The feature will include an optional 'username key' as an additional layer, requiring a secondary credential before someone can message a user. This extra step is meant to prevent unsolicited messages even if a username is known.
While the feature strengthens privacy, it remains optional — users who prefer to continue sharing phone numbers directly can do so. The rollout does not affect existing messaging functionality.
Some privacy advocates note that usernames alone do not eliminate metadata exposure or other surveillance risks, but they represent a meaningful step in reducing mandatory disclosure of personal phone numbers.