WhatsApp is preparing to roll out one of its most requested features, usernames, allowing people to chat with others without having to exchange their phone numbers.

The update marks one of the biggest changes to the messaging platform in years and brings WhatsApp more in line with apps such as Telegram, Signal and Discord, where usernames have long been used as an alternative way to identify users.

Rather than giving someone a personal mobile number, users will be able to choose a unique username that others can search for when starting a conversation. The feature is designed to offer an extra layer of privacy, particularly when messaging people outside of existing contact lists.

According to reports, WhatsApp has now begun opening username reservations, giving users the opportunity to claim their preferred handle before the wider rollout reaches the platform's estimated three billion users.

To help prevent impersonation and confusion, WhatsApp has introduced several rules around usernames. They must contain at least one letter, cannot begin with "www.", cannot end with a web domain such as ".com", and may only include certain characters, including lowercase letters, numbers, periods and underscores.

Once a username has been successfully created, users will see a confirmation animation, and anyone they begin a new conversation with will see that username instead of their phone number, provided the chat starts through the username rather than an existing saved contact.

The feature is expected to be particularly useful in group chats, online communities, workplaces and situations where people want to stay in touch without revealing personal contact details.

WhatsApp has also reportedly been developing a username availability checker, allowing users to quickly see whether their preferred handle has already been taken before completing the registration process.

Although the company has not yet confirmed an exact date for the global rollout, the feature has been in development for several months and is expected to become available to all users in a future update.

The announcement has already prompted plenty of discussion online, with many people welcoming the additional privacy that usernames could provide.

One person commented:

“Useful when you’re in group chats. Stops people who aren’t saved as a contact from accessing your number.”

Another wrote:

“This is actually great for workplaces because I have giving out my number!”

Others believe the update could make WhatsApp more appealing for networking, buying and selling online, and joining community groups, where sharing a personal phone number has often been seen as a drawback.

For many users, it is a feature that has been years in the making. If the rollout goes as planned, exchanging usernames instead of phone numbers could soon become the new normal on one of the world's most popular messaging apps.