WhatsApp to allow users to chat through usernames without sharing phone number

WhatsApp, a well-known popular instant messaging app owned by Meta, is ready to introduce an exciting new feature to enhance and improve the privacy of its users.

WhatsApp apps will have the opportunity to substitute their phone numbers with usernames on the instant messaging platform. The reputable Whatsapp update tracker WABetaInfo revealed that the upcoming feature, called “Username and PIN” will provide users with   three different  privacy settings to choose from: “Username,” “Phone number,” and “Username with PIN.”

By opting for the username option users will be able to maintain their privacy by hiding their phone numbers and displaying only their unique usernames to others. It is worth mentioning here that individuals who already have a user’s phone number will still have access to it. However, the contacts you make after that will only be able to see the username in the profile section.

By selecting the username with the option, users can establish a secure connection with others by using a four-digit PIN. This option will ensure that only the individuals who are aware of the PIN will have the ability to contact the user. Even with the activated PIN, the user can still be reached by existing contacts with the phone number.

This feature is portrayed as an optional tool and aims to empower users by providing them with greater control over who can initially contact them through WhatsApp. Currently, this feature is available for testing to users of WhatsApp Android beta version 2.24.18.2.

However, the stable Android users will have to be patient and wait for the feature to be included in a future update.

The official release date has not been announced but it is expected that the feature could be rolled out by the end of the year 2024. The user will have the freedom to choose whether they want to enable or disable it, as per their preference.

iOS users can look forward to WhatsApp introducing a chat theme feature in the upcoming future update which enables the user to customize the colour of chat bubbles and also get a preview of how the message colors will appear once applied.