WhatsApp is reportedly working on a new feature aimed at enhancing user privacy within its Android application. Known as Username keys, this functionality comprises two main components, according to a tracker specializing in WhatsApp developments. The first component, the username, is intended to replace the conventional method of sharing phone numbers when users wish to connect on WhatsApp. The second component, Username keys, will give users control over whether they want to allow first-time contacts to message them.
The announcement comes from WABetaInfo, a reliable source for WhatsApp updates, which indicates that the platform is designing Username keys to streamline the process of managing incoming messages from unknown users. The feature was initially identified in the WhatsApp beta version 2.25.22.9 for Android and is not yet available to those participating in the beta testing phase.
Username keys feature in WhatsApp for Android
Photo Credit: WABetaInfo
According to images released by WABetaInfo, the planned implementation will allow WhatsApp users to generate unique usernames, thereby eliminating the necessity to disclose phone numbers for account sharing. Users will simply provide their username to initiate conversations with others, akin to features available on platforms like Telegram, where users can find and message others using usernames.
Moreover, the platform will include a feature allowing users to establish a Username key, which consists of a four-digit PIN code. Screenshots indicate that to initiate a conversation for the first time, individuals will need to provide both their username and the associated key. This means that those who do not possess this key will be unable to send messages, even if they have the user’s username. Existing conversations and contacts with users’ phone numbers will remain unaffected by this new measure.
In a related development, WABetaInfo has also reported an expansion of the real-time voice chat feature with Meta AI to WhatsApp’s iOS application. The latest beta version 25.21.10.76 for iOS includes an option for users to engage in two-way voice conversations with an AI chatbot, a feature that was previously introduced in the Android version. This voice chat capability with Meta AI is expected to be made available to all iOS users in the near future.
