WHATSAPP IS GEARING UP TO UNVEIL NEW FEATURE - NO MORE PHONE NUMBER

SOURCE: Channel

WhatsApp is actively working on a feature that would allow users to transition from relying primarily on phone numbers to using unique usernames for connecting, chatting, and sharing contacts. This update aims to boost privacy by letting people message others without revealing their phone number—similar to features already available on apps like Signal and Telegram.

Important Information about the Feature

How It Operates: Users can create a personalized username (with security and uniqueness guidelines, such as not using special characters in some situations) and choose to combine it with a four-digit PIN for extra security. Among the privacy settings are "Username only," "Phone number," and "Username with PIN." You can still be contacted by current contacts using your phone number, but new contacts can use your username.

Benefits include lowering spam, safeguarding against unsanctioned contacts, and making it easier to share identifiers (for instance, in group chats or business interactions). Changes to the username will alert chats through system messages, and WhatsApp Web allows users to check availability in real time.

Present Status: Beta testing has been observed in iOS (version 24.18.10.70 and later) and Android (version 2.2.4.18.2) versions, indicating that the feature has been in development since at least early 2024. It has not yet been released to stable versions as of late October 2025, but it is still undergoing active refinement, including support for web clients. Along with contact-saving updates, WhatsApp first hinted at it in October 2024, referring to it as a "longer-term goal."

Although a precise release date has not yet been disclosed, current reports indicate that it is almost ready for release, possibly in the upcoming months. Watch for updates if you're in the beta program; if not, it should be available to all users in a later app version.