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Khaleej Times
3 days ago
- Business
- Khaleej Times
WhatsApp to introduce usernames? Here's what you need to know
Soon, you may no longer need to give out your phone number to chat on WhatsApp. WhatsApp is working on a long-anticipated feature: usernames — allowing people to connect with others without sharing their actual phone numbers. This brings WhatsApp closer to platforms like Telegram and Signal, which have long offered similar privacy-centric options. According to findings from WABetaInfo (via Tecnoblog), traces of the feature were recently discovered in the TestFlight beta version for iOS. While it's not yet live for testers, WhatsApp appears to be building the system's framework and interface in the background. The introduction of usernames could mark a significant privacy milestone for WhatsApp, giving users greater control over who sees their personal information. Instead of displaying a phone number by default, the app will soon allow people to identify one another via unique handles. How will it work? Initial details reveal that users will be able to create a unique username consisting of lowercase letters, numbers, periods, and underscores. There are a few key rules: Usernames must contain at least one letter, to prevent all-number or symbol-based handles. Usernames can't start with " to avoid confusion with websites. A confetti animation will confirm a successful username creation. Once live, your username will appear in chats and groups in place of your phone number — especially when people don't already have your number saved. This could be particularly useful for engaging in public groups or interacting with businesses and communities. WhatsApp plans to treat username updates the same way it handles profile photo or number changes — by notifying others in a system message within chats. This ensures transparency and helps contacts keep up with changes. Another neat addition: the web version of WhatsApp will eventually include a tool to check username availability before you commit to one. When will it launch? As of now, there's no official release date. But the fact that development strings are already showing up in recent beta builds is a strong indicator that the feature could be coming soon — part of a string of recent updates including the long-awaited release of WhatsApp's iPad app. With usernames, WhatsApp is taking a clear step toward more private and flexible communication, while catching up with its competitors in the modern messaging space.
Digital Trends
4 days ago
- Business
- Digital Trends
WhatsApp looks set to roll out a long-awaited feature
WhatsApp is reportedly working on a new feature that will allow users to create a username for their account, eliminating the need to show their phone number when connecting with other users. The feature, first reported by WABetaInfo (via Tecnoblog), was spotted in the code of a recent iOS update released via the TestFlight beta Program. WABetaInfo noted that the feature is currently in development and is not yet available for beta testing. Recommended Videos Being able to create a username instead of giving your phone number is both a security measure and a personalization feature, enabling users to express their identity uniquely while at the same time maintaining privacy. According to WABetaInfo's findings, WhatsApp will lay out some rules around how you'll be able to select a username, in a bid to ensure consistency and security. For example, to prevent other users from thinking they're communicating with an official website, you won't be able to create a name that starts with 'www'. Nor will you be able to end a name with a domain like '.com'. For a cleaner look, WhatsApp account names will have to be created in lower case letters, with numbers, periods, and underscores also allowed. Additionally, your WhatsApp username will have to contain at least 3 characters and cannot exceed 30. 'Once a username that meets all the above criteria is chosen by the user, a confirmation screen will appear,' WABetaInfo said in its report. 'This screen includes a celebratory animation with confetti, and it will confirm that the username has been successfully linked to the user's account. From that moment on, people who do not have the user's phone number will see the username instead, both when initiating a new conversation and within group chats.' To reiterate, the feature is under development and is likely to come as part of a future update to WhatsApp, hopefully before too long. The new feature would bring WhatsApp in line with other messaging platforms like Signal and Telegram, which both require phone numbers to register but allow users to connect via a username rather than the account's phone number. WhatsApp hit the headlines again recently with the long-awaited launch of an iPad version of its messaging service. As you'd expect, WhatsApp for iPad offers multi-tasking features such as Split View, Slide Over, and Stage Manager, bringing a more productive, as well as pleasant, user experience.
