WhatsApp Username

A WhatsApp username is a freely chosen name that lets people reach you on WhatsApp without knowing your phone number. On personal accounts it replaces the visible number; on WhatsApp Business accounts the number stays visible and the username is an additional way to reach you.

What is a WhatsApp username?

A WhatsApp username is a freely chosen name that lets people reach you on WhatsApp without knowing your phone number. WhatsApp announced the feature in 2026. Reservations opened on 29 June 2026, and the active rollout happens gradually in waves.

Username rules

A username is 3 to 35 characters long and may only contain lowercase letters, numbers, a period and an underscore. It must include at least one letter and cannot look like a web address, so it must not start with www. or end in a domain like .com.

Personal vs. business

On a personal account the username replaces the visible phone number, so new first-time contacts no longer see your number. On a WhatsApp Business account the number stays visible and the username is an additional, easy-to-remember way to reach you. The optional username key lets you further control who can message you via your username first.

WhatsApp username and SendSeven

For businesses, the username is set in Meta's WhatsApp Manager, not in the messaging provider. Your number keeps running unchanged. The step-by-step guide Set up a WhatsApp Business username shows how.