- WhatsApp now allows some users to set usernames
- So far, this feature is only available to a limited number of beta users.
- With it, you can share your username instead of your phone number.
We’ve been hearing that WhatsApp will be getting usernames for a while now, and they’re finally here, though so far, they’re only in the latest beta versions of WhatsApp, and only for a “limited” number of users in a gradual rollout, according to WABetaInfo.
In other words, you need to be running a beta version of WhatsApp to benefit from the new feature right now, and even then, you may not get access just yet. But the very fact that usernames are in beta suggests that they will hopefully be rolled out more widely soon.
When you get access to the new feature, you can head to Settings > Profile within the WhatsApp app and from there you will be able to create a username. The feature is available in beta versions of WhatsApp for iOS and Android, and instead of creating a new username, you can choose to use your Facebook or Instagram username if you prefer.
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If you create one, there are several restrictions, including that it must be a username that is not currently being used by someone else on any of the Meta platforms, that it must be at least three characters, and that it must start with a letter, although it can also include numbers, periods, and underscores.
Other restrictions include that it cannot begin with www., end with a domain, or exceed 35 characters in length.
A privacy benefit
In any case, this is a feature I’ve been waiting for for a long time: I don’t like to share my phone number more than necessary, so usernames allow a little more privacy.
And WhatsApp also lets you optionally set up a four-digit ‘username key’, which anyone who wants to message you will need to know, as well as your username, adding another layer of security and privacy.
This is all good news, although the other potential advantage of a username, which is the ability to use a messaging app without linking your phone number, is apparently not possible here currently. You still need to link your number to WhatsApp; you just don’t need to share it with the people you message there.
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