Will WhatsApp’s new username feature hide your phone number? Here’s what you need to know

WhatsApp’s newly introduced username feature has sparked a major debate, driven by claims that it hides a user’s phone number and shows only the username. 

The issue is more particular for users running a business on the popular Meta-owned social messaging platform. Beyond their presence on the app, business owners need their phone numbers visible to customers, especially if they aren’t available on WhatsApp (not online) and customers need to reach out. 

With fears of losing their presence to customers on the platform, businesses have started deleting their usernames (since it’s an optional feature), while non-business users have been taking similar actions. 

Also read: WhatsApp rolls out PIN-protected parental controls for teen accounts.

WhatsApp username: a privacy-strengthening tool

Recall that in June, Meta introduced a new WhatsApp username feature allowing users to chat and connect without sharing their phone numbers. In its explanation of the feature’s dynamics, Meta noted that phone numbers are hidden upon initial contact when using a username.

Meta, in one of its explanations, explained that the feature is an attempt to tighten security on its platform.

“WhatsApp is introducing usernames, a major privacy feature designed to help you connect with new people without giving away your phone number,” it said in a blog post. 

The username feature is particularly targeted at protecting users’ phone numbers from being saved when joining a public group. For instance, you want to join a football banter group, but you’re not ready to make your phone number accessible to people you don’t know or have never met; using a username prevents this. 

Phone numbers are tied to a person’s real identity, making them a sensitive piece of personal information to give away. Usernames remove that requirement entirely by allowing people to connect on their own terms while keeping their number private.

This kind of identity protection is already familiar to users of platforms like Telegram and Signal, both of which have been familiar with the feature for some time. 

Reservations for usernames on WhatsApp are still open to more than its three billion users globally, as Meta plans to activate the feature before the end of 2026. 

WhatsApp usernames: when is your phone number hidden?

We need to clarify some viral claims. WhatsApp introduced the username feature to protect random people from accessing your phone number, making it the platform’s biggest privacy feature in years. 

While the username changes how people find you on WhatsApp, setting up a username does not disable your phone number, turn off traditional WhatsApp messaging, or stop your phone calls. Your phone numbers remain tied to your underlying account, but only existing contacts or anyone who has your number saved can call or message you as usual.

Meta made further clarification on this in its blog post.

“Once we launch usernames, when you message a person or business for the first time, they will no longer see your phone number if you enabled your username.”

For business owners on WhatsApp, the fear of not being reachable if they are not online is indeed real. 

If a customer tries to dial your regular phone number via a direct mobile call (GSM call), but you rely exclusively on your WhatsApp username online, customers who don’t have your phone number won’t be able to reach you via traditional phone lines or SMS if they only have your username.

In addition, WhatsApp messages and calls require an active internet connection on Wi-Fi or cellular data. If your mobile data is turned off, a customer relying solely on reaching your username cannot reach you until you come back online. 

Meanwhile, businesses with a familiar username on X (Twitter) or Instagram can improve their chances of maintaining their search visibility if they retain the same username on WhatsApp. This ensures their popularity and allows new users coming from these social platforms to easily search for and locate their presence.

Also read: ChatPaddi is Adebo David’s indigenous alternative to WhatsApp Business for Africans.