The chat application WhatsApp, owned by Meta, began the rollout of username reservations for its 3 billion users in early June. While the username functionality isn’t yet active, users can reserve their usernames and utilize them once the feature is launched later this year.

With the introduction of usernames, individuals can share their WhatsApp contact details without revealing their phone numbers. This is particularly beneficial for those who wish to be contacted via WhatsApp but prefer not to disclose their personal information or phone number. For businesses, providing a name may be simpler than giving out a phone number to clients.

Here’s how you can reserve your username:

• Navigate to Settings > Account and select the Username option found in the “Your Account” section.
• If this is your first time creating a username, you will see a “Create username” option, allowing you to enter and choose your desired username.
• Should the username you selected be unavailable, WhatsApp will provide alternative suggestions if you click on the “suggest a username” option.

WhatsApp has set aside specific usernames for public figures and organizations, so those cannot be claimed by individual users. If you possess a username from Facebook or Instagram, logging in via either platform allows you to secure your handle as a username as well.

Once you’ve established your username, you can return to the same menu to modify it by clicking on the “Edit” button at the top right corner. You can also choose to delete your username from here.

Furthermore, WhatsApp introduces an additional layer of security with a username key. From the username menu, you can set restrictions on who can contact you, choosing from “Everyone” to “People who know my key.” In this way, individuals familiar with your username must enter a four-digit key before initiating contact with you for the first time. Users have the option to save the key or create a new one whenever necessary.

The username feature is expected to launch in the upcoming weeks. Until then, WhatsApp is permitting users to reserve their usernames to prevent duplicates.