WhatsApp is reportedly working on a feature to search users by their username. With this feature, users will have the option to interact with others using a distinct identifier, reducing the reliance on phone numbers.
The Meta-owned instant messaging application WhatsApp is reportedly working on a feature to search users by their username. This feature will lessen the need for phone numbers by giving users the opportunity to communicate with others using a unique identifier.
“Thanks to the latest WhatsApp beta for Android 2.23.25.19 update, which is available on the Google Play Store, we discovered that WhatsApp is working on further improvements regarding this feature for a future update of the app,” WABetaInfo reported.
The reports claim that by enabling users to look up other users by username, the search bar would improve privacy by removing the need for users to exchange personal phone numbers, speeding up the joining process. The report mentioned that the choice to configure a username is totally optional, and users will always have control over this feature as they can remove their current username at any time.
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Additionally, it implied that WhatsApp's feature of searching for users by username would give users a high degree of anonymity.
Individuals will be able to communicate with one another without having to provide their phone numbers. Those who want to have some degree of anonymity or control over their personal data may especially benefit from this.
Furthermore, because it does not need explicit phone number exchanges, looking for users by usernames will streamline the process of interacting with friends, relatives, or other people. Simply sharing their usernames will let other users locate and interact with them within the programme, according to WABetaInfo.
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A feature to search users by their username is under development and it will be available in a future update of the app, it added.
In related news, Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg has introduced a secret code feature for Chat Lock on WhatsApp, adding an additional layer of privacy for millions of users to protect sensitive chats on the platform.