For the longest time, the only way that you can add a friend on WhatsApp is by searching for their phone number, which can be a hassle and you might actually text the wrong person if you enter one wrong digit, let alone being prone to scams as your phone number gets circulate around, but that is about to change now as the popular messaging app will now let you reserve your very own username.
Having usernames on WhatsApp isn’t just about being cool when you share it with your friends, but it is about enhancing your privacy, as you no longer need to give up your phone number to a new friend or business when they need to contact you on the messaging app, the same goes for joining a community or group, as you will no longer need to reveal your phone number when joining one.
At this time of writing, the feature isn’t available yet on every device even if you try to manually update the app on your app store, but when it eventually arrives, you will be able to reserve your username at Settings -> Account -> Username. If your WhatsApp account is connected to an existing Instagram or Facebook username, the feature gives you the option to claim your existing handler as well for better authencity.
The username feature is rolling out in stages, so make sure you keep your WhatsApp updated to reserve your username.
