WhatsApp May Introduce Username Feature: Here’s What You Need To Know
WhatsApp, the instant messaging application owned by Meta, is reportedly developing a feature to define a username. It means you can choose your WhatsApp username directly from your profile settings.
“Thanks to the latest WhatsApp beta for iOS 23.20.1.71 update available on TestFlight, WhatsApp is now working on bringing the same feature to the iOS app,” WABetaInfo reported.
A screenshot shared by WABetaInfo revealed that it will be possible to select your WhatsApp username directly from your profile settings, as a new section dedicated to this feature will be introduced on this screen in a future update. Usernames on WhatsApp accept alphanumeric characters and some special characters, but do not support discriminating characters.
“This means that usernames are unique to WhatsApp. It’s important to note that specifying a username is optional, and the phone number associated with the account that started the chat through the username will always remain hidden as long as the people in the conversation don’t already know each other’s phone numbers,” the report said.
The report suggested that with the help of usernames on WhatsApp, it is possible to communicate with any user, whether they are individuals or businesses, making it easier for users to connect with various contacts.
The introduction of usernames is also in line with their commitment to improve privacy and security by allowing users to communicate without revealing their phone number. They can finally maintain a higher level of confidentiality of their information when connecting with new contacts and group chats.
As always, chats started with usernames are protected with end-to-end encryption. The feature to set up a WhatsApp username is under development and will be available in an upcoming update of the app.
WhatsApp is also rolling out a new reply bar feature that lets you quickly reply to images, videos, and GIFs.
The new reply bar feature will become available when viewing images or videos in a chat after users install the latest WhatsApp beta for Android 2.23.20.20 update from the Google Play Store.
