WhatsApp Adds Username Field to Contact Creation Screen for Expanded User ID Use

WhatsApp has started rolling out a new feature in its contact creation screen that adds a dedicated username field. This allows users to save a contact's username alongside their name and phone number, preparing for broader use of usernames within the app. The username field appears when creating a new contact, enabling users to store and share usernames with people and businesses even before the full username functionality is widely available.

Users can already reserve their preferred username via account settings, subject to availability. WhatsApp also introduced a "Username Key" feature to control who can contact a user through their username. This update facilitates early adoption of usernames, allowing users to save contacts by username even if they do not have their phone number.

Once saved, WhatsApp links the contact's name with their username, maintaining the usual display of conversations. The update also integrates with WhatsApp Status, enabling status sharing with contacts saved by username while keeping phone numbers private. The feature is currently in gradual rollout, available to some beta users on Android and iOS, as well as some stable app users, with no announced date for full availability.

A security concern was identified during testing, revealing that leading Israeli brands are vulnerable to impersonation risks. WhatsApp blocks usernames based on international domains ending in ".com" but does not restrict those with the Israeli ".co.il" domain, potentially allowing misuse of brand-related usernames. Meta responded that username use will launch gradually later this year, with protections including reserved usernames for public figures and verified accounts, and multiple anti-fraud layers such as limiting new contacts and detecting impersonation patterns. Despite usernames, phone numbers will still be required to use WhatsApp.