Coming Soon: Hide Your Number on WhatsApp with New Privacy Tool – Here’s What to Know
WhatsApp Introduces Ads and Paid Subscriptions in Status and Channels, Keeps Chats Private
In a major step towards enhancing user privacy, WhatsApp is preparing to roll out a long-awaited feature that will allow users to hide their phone numbers by creating unique usernames. This marks a significant change for the platform, which has traditionally relied on mobile numbers as the core means of contact.
The update was recently spotted in a beta version of the app by WABetaInfo, indicating that the feature is in active development and may soon be available to the public.
Once introduced, users will be able to set a personal username, similar to those on Telegram or Instagram. This username will appear in place of a phone number, allowing people to connect and chat without having access to each other’s contact information. The move is expected to be particularly useful in group chats and when initiating conversations with new contacts.
To maintain security and consistency, WhatsApp will enforce several rules for usernames. Usernames must:
- Include at least one letter
- Not begin with “www”
- Only contain lowercase letters, numbers, underscores, and periods
Upon successful creation of a username, users will receive a confetti animation as confirmation. If a user changes their username later, WhatsApp will notify others in the chat through a system message—similar to how profile picture or phone number changes are currently announced.
While it is still unclear whether users will be able to hide their phone numbers from existing contacts, the feature will ensure that new users who don’t have your number will only see your username. WhatsApp is also working on a tool that will allow users to check the availability of a desired username, which is expected to be included in a future update to WhatsApp Web.
Though an official release date has not been announced, the feature appears to be in the final stages of testing. Once launched, it is expected to offer a major privacy boost for users and change how connections are made on the platform.
This update joins a growing list of privacy-focused features introduced by WhatsApp in recent years, including disappearing messages, chat locks, and companion device support—all aimed at keeping the user experience simple yet secure.
