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WhatsApp is testing a new way for you to use the same Facebook ID as the username and reserve it before others.
Soon your Facebook ID could become the WhatsApp username
WhatsApp plans to replace phone numbers for accounts with usernames for better privacy and now it seems the platform is willing to let you reserve the ID in advance. The other change we could see happen is that WhatsApp will allow you to continue using the same username as you have on apps like Facebook or Instagram.
All three apps are owned by Meta and we are gradually seeing features interlink between them, so having the username option was always going to be on the cards. We’ve already heard rumours about the username option coming sometime in 2026 and now further details have emerged which suggest the rollout is not far.
WhatsApp Reserve Username With Instagram
The messaging app is looking at new ways to help users hide their number from the account and instead rely on usernames, something that BlackBerry did many years back with BB ID.
The new WhatsApp feature is being tested in the Android beta version which is yet to reach all the users but that should happen in the next few months.
As for the new version of the username, WhatsApp is testing the option of letting users choose an ID they will find easy to remember. The username option will be available in the Profile section of WhatsApp.
But the way you link the Instagram account to the WhatsApp username is dependent on a verification process that is available in Meta’s Account Centre. It is possible that linking username might fail if the account association cannot be verified or someone else is already using it.
New Privacy Move
WhatsApp is likely to give users the option to reserve their usernames before someone else takes your pick. But how will usernames give you better privacy? The report claims WhatsApp will block usernames with ‘www’ so that people don’t imitate a website or a platform.
It can have characters, numbers and alphabets along with special symbols. In addition to this, the username will come along with a key that you can share with friends and known contacts so that your WhatsApp message feed is not flooded with unwanted/stranger messages or even scammers.
S Aadeetya, Special Correspondent at News18 Tech, accidentally got into journalism 10 years ago, and since then, has been part of established media houses covering the latest trends in technology and helping fr…Read More
S Aadeetya, Special Correspondent at News18 Tech, accidentally got into journalism 10 years ago, and since then, has been part of established media houses covering the latest trends in technology and helping fr… Read More
Delhi, India, India
November 12, 2025, 11:28 IST
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