WhatsApp Will Let Users Search People and Start Chats Using Usernames

WhatsApp is testing a new feature that lets you search and connect with people through their username. This will eliminate the need to exchange phone numbers, offering a safer and more flexible way to connect. It showed up within the latest beta version for Android and may push it to the stable channel in the coming weeks.

New WhatsApp beta build lets users search for people by username

WhatsApp is trying to give users more control over their privacy while making it easier to connect with others. Folks over at WABetaInfo discovered a username search tool within the beta build 2.25.24.22. Meta, the company behind WhatsApp, will now let its messaging app users create a unique identifier. The username must have a certain length, include at least one letter, and follow specific formatting rules.

As of now, you can search people on WhatsApp using only their phone numbers or through your saved contacts. With the upcoming update, you get another way to connect with others by simply typing in their username, even though they are not saved in your phone.

Speaking of how to use this tool, on the New chat page, simply type a username into the search bar. The system will find the account and show it in the search results. If the user has set their profile photo to be visible to everyone in privacy settings, it will also appear alongside their username. From there, you can begin a conversation without needing their phone number.

These chats will remain end-to-end encrypted, allowing you to send messages, photos, voice notes, and documents, just like normal chats. Furthermore, the new conversations will also appear in your Chats tab alongside your existing ones. Note that creating a unique identifier is optional — you can still use WhatsApp with just your phone number.

For spam protection, the system may block or limit accounts when it detects suspicious behavior, such as sending too many messages to multiple usernames. As of now, there is no word on when the company will make the username search tool available for everyone. However, since it is already in the beta channel, the wait should not be too long.