WhatsApp has announced one of its biggest privacy-focused innovations. The highly anticipated WhatsApp usernames feature will be available in 2026. This new system will allow users to communicate without sharing their phone numbers.

How will the WhatsApp username system work?

WhatsApp has shared this significant update with its partners first. The new feature will be available as an optional privacy setting for both standard users and businesses. Users will be able to keep their phone numbers private by setting a unique username. This will significantly increase privacy when chatting with new contacts or businesses.

This transition is especially critical for businesses using the API. WhatsApp has given businesses until June 2026 to prepare their systems for the new era. By this date, all businesses will be required to support usernames and a new identifier called the “Business-Scoped User ID” (BSUID). This new ID will allow businesses to securely interact with their customers even when their phone numbers are private.

The company is calling this change a “privacy-first modernization.” Implementing the username system required significant changes to the app’s infrastructure while maintaining end-to-end encryption. The feature is expected to be gradually rolled out to all users in the first half of 2026, with username reservations expected to begin at that time.

So, what are your thoughts on this username feature coming to WhatsApp? Share your thoughts with us in the comments!