MUMBAI: A phone number may soon become yesterday’s introduction. WhatsApp is rolling out its long-awaited username feature, allowing users to connect without sharing their mobile numbers, while simultaneously launching an India campaign starring Aamir Khan to showcase the privacy-first update.
The Meta-owned messaging platform has begun a phased global rollout of usernames, enabling users to create a unique handle prefixed with the “@” symbol. The feature is optional and allows people to receive messages and calls without revealing their phone numbers, marking one of WhatsApp’s biggest identity changes since its launch.
Unlike platforms such as Instagram, WhatsApp is positioning usernames as a privacy tool rather than a social discovery feature. There will be no public directory, searchable database or username autocomplete, meaning users must know the exact username to initiate contact. The platform is also introducing an optional “username key”, requiring both a username and a unique code before conversations can begin.
To introduce the feature in India, WhatsApp has unveiled a campaign featuring Aamir Khan. Set in an everyday social situation, the film follows two young women discussing whether one of them should share her phone number with a man she has recently met. Khan steps in with a simpler alternative—share a WhatsApp username instead. The campaign positions usernames as a safer way to stay connected without compromising personal privacy.
Rather than focusing on technical features, the film uses a relatable scenario to highlight the product’s practical benefits. It concludes by presenting usernames as “a more private way to connect”, reinforcing WhatsApp’s long-standing focus on user privacy and security.
The India campaign follows an earlier international advertisement starring British heavyweight boxer Anthony Joshua, which also centred on the new username feature.
While the update has been welcomed as a significant privacy enhancement, it has also triggered concerns over misuse. Entrepreneur and content creator Ankur Warikoo warned that scammers could exploit lookalike usernames to impersonate public figures, influencers and brands, arguing that many users already struggle to distinguish between genuine and fake online identities.
Paytm founder and chief executive Vijay Shekhar Sharma echoed similar concerns, noting that username-based systems on several social media platforms have frequently led to impersonation through deceptively similar handles.
To minimise abuse, WhatsApp has introduced strict naming rules. Usernames must contain between three and 35 characters, include at least one letter, and may only use lowercase letters, numbers, periods and underscores. They also cannot begin with “www” or end with website-style extensions such as “.com” or “.net”.
The rollout brings WhatsApp closer to messaging platforms such as Telegram and Signal, which already support username-based communication. As the feature reaches more users later this year, Meta is betting that greater privacy can coexist with trusted digital identities—provided the safeguards prove as strong as the promise.