WhatsApp eyes username-based communication system: Report – 24NewsHD

WhatsApp is preparing one of its most significant updates in recent years, with plans to introduce a username-based communication system that would allow users to connect without sharing their phone numbers, 24NewsHD TV reported on Sunday.  According to a media report, the feature would let users initiate text chats as well as audio and video calls through unique usernames instead of mobile numbers, marking a major shift in how the world’s most widely used messaging app is accessed and used. If rolled out as expected, the change would strengthen user privacy by reducing the need to disclose personal phone numbers when contacting others — a long-standing limitation on WhatsApp compared with rival messaging platforms such as Telegram and Signal, which already offer similar identity-based communication tools.  Meta’s Instagram and Facebook platforms already support usernames. According to the report, WhatsApp is targeting a global launch by mid-2026, with June set internally as a tentative milestone. The publication described the feature as potentially the company’s biggest update of the year, one that could fundamentally alter the way users interact on the platform. Earlier reports had indicated that the username system would likely be introduced as an optional privacy feature rather than a
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