WhatsApp has decided to take a major step forward in terms of privacy, aiming to make users feel much more protected. No more having to hand over your phone number to just anyone to chat, something many users found frustrating. It was driving us crazy for years having to share sensitive data with strangers.
The Meta-owned platform has officially announced the rollout of the user names, a function that will allow hide the phone number using a unique and customizable alias. This new feature, already available for some time from competing services like Telegram, has finally arrived to make life easier for the more than 3.000 billion users the app has worldwide.
This is how the new WhatsApp aliases will work
The idea behind this change is extremely simple: instead of sharing those highly personal digits linked to our bank account or official services, we can provide a simple username preceded by an @ symbol. This is especially useful in large groups or communities where there are people we don't know at all, preventing people outside our inner circle from seeing our private contact without our explicit permission.
It is essential to understand that the phone number will not disappear from the application, as it will remain the data. required to register the account and verify our identity using the SIM card. However, the alias will act as a shield or protective layer that we will only show to whomever we choose, giving us much tighter control over our privacy and our digital footprint online.
Steps to reserve your unique identifier
The company has enabled a phased reservation period so that no one misses out on their preferred nickname in the app. To try and snag yours before anyone else, just go to the section of Settings, tap on Account and look for the specific "Username" option. If for some reason you don't see the option yet, don't worry, as the rollout is being done in batches and will reach all devices in the coming months.
The chosen names must be completely unique and between 3 and 35 characters long, including at least one letter. If you're lacking inspiration at that moment, the app itself can help. It includes a suggestion generator To help you find an available name quickly. Once you've confirmed it, your new contacts will be able to easily find you via a direct link, which greatly speeds up communication in professional settings.
Maximum security with the new PIN code
To prevent us from being bombarded with unwanted messages simply because they have our username, WhatsApp has introduced an additional security tool: a completely optional four-digit PIN. This way, if someone tries to contact us using our username, You will need to know that code. secret to opening a chat for the first time, establishing a perfect barrier against spam or possible annoyances from strangers.
Furthermore, Meta has taken it upon itself to protect the names of official institutions and public figures for prevent identity theft that could lead to scams. Users who already have a verified and established username on sister platforms like Instagram or Facebook will have the opportunity to request the same identifier to maintain a consistent presence across all of the company's social media channels.
This transformation represents a radical change in how we interact within the most widely used messaging tool in Spain and across Europe. By allowing us to identify ourselves with an alias instead of our mobile number, WhatsApp becomes a much safer platform and private, allowing communication to be much more fluid both in everyday situations and in work environments without the need to expose such sensitive data lightly.