Finding people on WhatsApp will soon become easier and safer.
WhatsApp and Meta are recently developing a feature that would add usernames to make searching for people on the platform easier and safer to do.
WhatsApp has yet to confirm when the addition of usernames would happen or the feature's existence in beta testing, per Engadget.
WhatsApp Username Addition Details
WhatsApp's latest update through the Google Play Beta Program, v.2.23.11.15, revealed a new feature that the company is working on. According to WABetaInfo, WhatsApp is working on a feature that lets users set up unique usernames in the future. The publication mentioned that the addition of usernames to the platform would not only allow users to choose unique usernames for their accounts but also add another layer of privacy to their accounts.
Currently, WhatsApp users need to know another person's phone number or scan a QR code to add them to their WhatsApp contacts; they would also need to do likewise if they want others to add them to their contacts. With the addition of usernames, though, they only need to give their username - not their phone number - to others to add them to their contacts.
The feature helps people avoid giving out a means to contact them personally when the other person is blocked on WhatsApp but not on their phone itself. Users that worry about the encryption of chats started by username may rest assured that the app's encryption still applies to chats of such nature.
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Unfortunately, the feature is still in early development, making the effort of understanding how it works pointless until WhatsApp cooks it further. Additionally, WABetaInfo has no idea when the feature will be available to the public.
Even so, the addition of this feature to WhatsApp's Google Play Beta Program shows the company's commitment to providing "a better user experience to its users. The addition of usernames to the app follows WhatsApp's other new feature that allows users to edit their recently sent messages within a 15-minute window, giving them the chance to correct typos, add more context to their messages, and even just plain edit the entire message altogether.
Other Upcoming Features To WhatsApp
Aside from new usernames, WhatsApp is also working on several features and quality-of-life improvements on the app. These features and improvements include a bottom navigation bar for easier navigation with one hand and animated emojis. The company is also working on a companion mode that lets users use their accounts across multiple phones and a self-destructing group chat that let users set expiration dates on specific group chats so they wouldn't have to manually delete them in the future.
For now, WhatsApp users can enjoy some new features the company released for the app, like biometric locks for private chats, the ability to refer back to disappearing messages through the "Keep in Chat" option, and new group chat tools for admins to use to decide who can or cannot join a group.
Related Article: WhatsApp Now Lets You Edit Sent Messages
