WhatsApp beta confirms that usernames are here to stay.

A new username-based search function has been discovered.

OVERVIEW

        Though it is a bit late to the party, WhatsApp is now providing a username search function as a substitute for exchanging phone numbers.

         By adding username-based search, the evident risks associated with sharing personal phone numbers are mitigated and accessibility is made easier.

         The widespread rollout of WhatsApp usernames has no set date, but it has been in development for more than six months, so it should soon arrive on the stable channel.

        Even with its continuous addition of new features, WhatsApp frequently lags behind its rivals. Whether it was the addition of voice-based chat rooms to groups or the long-standing Communities and Channels features on other instant messaging apps. Comparably, it was disclosed in May that the Meta-owned instant messaging app was developing the feature that would allow users to designate a special username for their account in place of disclosing their phone number. By enabling username searches, a beta version of WhatsApp for Android now shows additional development on this feature.

        Even though this isn't a significant feature update for WhatsApp, it does indicate that usernames will continue to exist. Although I was unable to observe it on my device running WhatsApp beta version 2.23.25.20, WABetaInfo noticed this change on version 2.23.25.19 of the chat app for Android.

        The current search bar on the right; the option to search by username on the left

        The addition of the username in the search bar at the top, positioned between the words name and number, is the only noticeable change in this instance. As the screenshot above illustrates, the additional word does make the search field a little crowded.

        For the record, I can't even set a username on my WhatsApp account (which is in beta) in India, let alone search for other accounts using this method. This suggests that its visibility is currently restricted to a small number of accounts, perhaps due to geography. According to WABI, when usernames are widely available, account holders will be able to remove their phone numbers, but they won't be required.

        Given the dangers of sharing phone numbers—such as receiving a barrage of spam messages from companies you've hardly ever dealt with—I think usernames ought to have been a part of WhatsApp's feature set for a long time. As we can see from apps like Telegram, usernames also facilitate discoverability by allowing you to search for people using just a few letters rather than their full phone number.

        The launch date for usernames and the recently included search feature is not specified. However, since it has been in development for more than six months, it is reasonable to assume that this will eventually make its way into a stable channel update.

        Speaking of usernames, WhatsApp has been experimenting with allowing channels to add usernames in an effort to help viewers find their favorite channels more quickly. Regarding privacy, WhatsApp's stable version this week unveiled a few updates to its useful Chat Lock feature, which makes it simpler to lock or hide chats and allows users to enter a secret code in the search bar to access private conversations.