The feature we've been waiting for for years is finally coming to WhatsApp. Find out what will change.

After a long wait, a new feature is now coming to WhatsApp. User handles can now be set on Instagram via WhatsApp. Currently, only the option to reserve a username is available.

WhatsApp finally gets the long-awaited feature. Until now, WhatsApp accounts were linked to a user's phone number, but Meta is changing this. Like Instagram and other apps, WhatsApp will also be getting username support. Users will be able to reserve a username. This feature was first spotted on the beta version of WhatsApp on Android. Let's find out what will change once this feature is rolled out.

Username Reservation Option

Users will have the option to reserve their handles in the app's settings. This means that when Meta rolls out this feature, users will be able to use that handle as their username. Once a handle is reserved, no other user will be able to copy it. This feature already exists on WhatsApp's competitor apps like Signal and Telegram. Even Apple's iMessage allows users to connect with others using email addresses.

Why was the new feature needed?

Since its launch, WhatsApp has only allowed for account creation using a phone number. This is very convenient and makes searching for people much easier, but it also poses a privacy risk. This makes your phone number accessible to people you don't know. Furthermore, changing your phone number can be quite a hassle. For these reasons, WhatsApp will now also offer the option to register using a username. Meta, the company that owns WhatsApp, has been talking about launching this feature for several years. Now, the company has added the option to reserve a handle so that people don't face any problems when the feature is rolled out.