By Monsurat Abisoye
WhatsApp has announced the introduction of usernames, a new feature designed to give users greater privacy by allowing them to connect without sharing their phone numbers.
The Meta-owned messaging platform said users can begin reserving their preferred usernames this week ahead of a wider rollout later this year. According to the company, the feature is intended to make communication easier while protecting personal contact information.
WhatsApp said users with the latest version of the app can reserve a username by navigating to Settings, then Account, and selecting Username. The process takes only a few seconds.
The feature brings WhatsApp in line with messaging platforms such as Telegram, Signal and Discord, which already support username-based interactions. It is expected to improve privacy, particularly when communicating with people outside existing contact lists, joining communities or engaging in business conversations where sharing a personal phone number may not be desirable.
