WhatsApp set to launch game-changing username feature by mid-2026

ISLAMABAD: WhatsApp is preparing to introduce one of the biggest updates in recent years.

According to a report by the Economic Times, the Meta-owned messaging app is planning to introduce a username-based communication system.

Under this new feature, users will not need to share phone numbers for text chat, audio or video calls with each other.

According to the report, this biggest update of this year to WhatsApp will be introduced worldwide in mid-2026.

The report further said that the company has set a target of introducing it in June and thus the way of using the messaging platform will change forever.

This change will provide greater protection to the privacy of users as people will not need to share their personal phone numbers for chat.

Various platforms like Instagram and Facebook already provide username support, and messaging apps like Telegram and Signal have also been offering similar features to users for quite some time.

Earlier, various reports had said that the username system would be introduced as an optional privacy feature and phone numbers would not be completely eliminated.

That is, users would be able to decide whether to use their unique username to contact someone or continue using their mobile number.

WhatsApp has been working on the username feature for quite some time, but now the date of its introduction has been revealed for the first time.

Having a username will depend on its availability, and people who have your phone number will likely be able to contact you in the old way.

Along with usernames, WhatsApp is also testing a new feature called guest chats.

This feature will allow users to contact people who do not have a WhatsApp account, and this will be done through a browser-based link.