Overview
- WhatsApp rolled out optional usernames in a gradual global deployment that began Monday, July 6, 2026, letting users share an alias instead of their phone number.
- When a username is active, the app hides your phone number from people who do not have it saved while people who already have your number still see it.
- Users can enable an optional four-digit PIN tied to their username so first-time contacts must enter that code before sending a message, and the PIN can be viewed, regenerated, or changed in Settings > Account > Username.
- Meta says the service will block repeated attempts to guess PINs to prevent brute-force abuse and positions the username+PIN model as a safety measure compared with username-only systems on other platforms.
- The username is optional, may be reserved now even if the feature is not yet active on a device, certain names are reserved for businesses or public figures, and the change could shift how people share contact details and how services handle unsolicited outreach.