WhatsApp to offer Instagram-like username option for chat soon

During the activaton of the username, the subscriber will get a username key and this will protect the phone number from being exposed.

In June, WhatsApp began testing a new privacy feature that would allow subscribers to have username handles like on Instagram instead of phone numbers.

This way, it would protect the personal phone numbers from strangers on the social messenger app.

Now, the Meta-owned entity is one step closer to launching the much-awaited safety feature, as it has begun offering the option to WhatsApp beta users to reserve their username to their account, reported WABetaInfo.

During the activation of the username, the subscriber will get a username key, and this will protect the phone number from being exposed.

Only those with the username key will be able to message the user. The latter will decide who can message or call them on WhatsApp. Others who are not in the contact list will not be able to initiate the chat.

WhatsApp Username key.

This will offer a secondary layer of security and will definitely come in handy in curbing online fraud, such as digital arrest, which has surged in developing countries like India.

There is no official word on when WhatsApp will launch the new feature. It is being tested, and based on feedback from independent testers, the company is expected to release the new feature by the end of 2025.

In a related development, Meta recently introduced built-in language translation in WhatsApp.

This new feature works for one-to-one individual chats, even group chats and Channel updates as well.

This will come in handy when communicating with international friends and colleagues. And when tourists go on trips and use WhatsApp to communicate with local travel agents.

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