WhatsApp is working on a new feature that will allow users to search for others on the platform using their usernames, eliminating the need to share phone numbers. The new feature is currently under development for the WhatsApp Web app, and is expected to be rolled out to mobile users as well in a future update.
The feature has been pre-released to some users for testing on its Android app. Once available, users will be able to search for other users by username, phone number, or name.
A report from WABetainfo said: “It will be possible to search for users by entering their username in the search bar, in a future update to the web client.”
It added: “The username-based search feature will improve the user experience by eliminating the need for phone numbers, and providing a convenient privacy-aware way for users to discover others and connect with them within the WhatsApp ecosystem.”
The username-based search feature is similar to a feature that is already available on Telegram, a rival messaging app. This will make it easier to communicate with people you know without having to share your phone number with them, which is a major privacy improvement for the messaging app, which has long been criticized for requiring users to give up their personal contact information in order to connect with others.
WhatsApp is also said to be working on a number of other features, including a feature that will allow users to create usernames from the WhatsApp Web app and a feature that will allow users to change their WhatsApp username at any time. These new features are part of WhatsApp’s efforts to make the app easier to use and more privacy-focused.
