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WhatsApp's new username feature aims to protect user privacy by allowing unique handles instead of phone numbers.
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The latest beta suggests users might soon be able to add a PIN to their username for extra security, preventing unwanted messages.
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These features arent available yet and there's no release date for them.
WhatsApp’s use of phone numbers has left user privacy wide open to spam and harassment . Since phone numbers are needed for setting up accounts and receiving messages, it’s easy for people to misuse them. To fix this, the Meta-owned messaging platform has been working on usernames since early 2023 , so users can chat with unique handles instead of sharing their phone numbers. Now, a recent beta build hints that WhatsApp might add the option to set up PINs for extra protection against unwanted messages.
The latest beta version of WhatsApp on Android (v2.24.18.2) suggests that along with setting a unique username, users might soon be able to add a PIN for extra security, as spotted by WABetaInfo . This PIN would stop anyone with your username from messaging you directly. This means that you can choose to set a PIN, so even if someone knows your username, they’ll still need the code to start a chat. This PIN requirement doesn't apply to existing chats, though.
Currently, WhatsApp uses phone numbers as the only way to identify users. This means you have to share your number with anyone you want to chat with, which automatically exposes your personal contact information. This setup raises privacy concerns because your phone number stays linked to your account.
WhatsApp’s username and PIN features are still in the works, and it’s unclear when or if they’ll make it to the stable version. Right now, these options aren’t available to beta testers.
An extra layer of protection
If this new feature rolls out, it could be a strong way to protect user privacy. According to WABetaInfo, after setting up a username, you’d then be asked to create a PIN. Anyone who hasn’t messaged you before would need to enter this PIN to start a chat. This extra security step could make it much harder for spammers to reach you if they don’t have the right PIN.
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Users might also get the option to make their username the only public identifier for their account. Even if you share your username, you could still change it as often as you want or turn off the PIN protection to make it easier for people to contact you.
While it's great that WhatsApp is adding usernames, it’s worth mentioning that other messaging apps like Telegram have had this feature for a while. On Telegram, you can set a username and chat without ever sharing your phone number, which stays hidden from everyone. Signal also uses usernames instead of phone numbers . Still, WhatsApp jumping on the username bandwagon is a solid move that keeps up with what’s trending in messaging apps .
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