WhatsApp Begins Limited Test of Usernames for Number-Free Contact

Overview

• WhatsApp is rolling out a test to a small group that lets people be found by a unique username instead of sharing their mobile number.
• Usernames must be unique and follow strict rules including 3–35 characters, start with a letter, and allow only Latin letters, underscores, or dots, with web addresses blocked.
• Choosing the same handle used on Instagram or Facebook prompts linking through Meta’s Accounts Center, which connects identities across the apps.
• An optional four-digit PIN can gate who is allowed to message you by username, so only contacts who know both can start a chat.
• Accounts still require a valid phone number to register, and Germany’s cyber security agency BSI urges using different usernames on different platforms to reduce profiling risks.