What is the New WhatsApp Username Feature for iOS & Android? – Jagran Josh

With the gradual rollout of the WhatsApp Username feature, Meta is officially ending WhatsApp’s decade-long reliance on phone numbers. In the past, your digits were your digital footprint on the app, and they were often seen by large groups or by professional contacts you didn’t know.  WhatsApp will start using a handle-based identity system in April 2026. This will let users hide their phone numbers behind unique, customizable usernames. Meta’s official reports say that this rollout is meant to make users safer and make it easier for people to find new friends and businesses.  The new version of WhatsApp makes it more like Telegram and Signal when it comes to privacy. It offers a “numberless” chat experience while keeping its end-to-end encryption. How does the WhatsApp Username feature work for users? The new system gives you a unique handle that you can use to identify yourself. Once you create a username, you can send it to someone else through a link or a search handle. This keeps your private phone number safe from the person who gets it. Privacy Aspect Phone Number Based (Old) Username Based (New) Contact Discovery Must save digits in phonebook Searchable via unique @handle Data Privacy
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