Chatting on WhatsApp without a phone number: How will the feature work?

The popular messaging app WhatsApp is rolling out a feature that users have been waiting for for a long time. Thanks to this innovation, the requirement to share a phone number to start a chat is being eliminated. Users will be able to communicate with each other by knowing only their usernames.

This new feature, which WhatsApp is currently testing, works through a special search bar located in the chats tab. Those who enter a username can find that person in the search results even if they are not saved in their contacts. Thus, it becomes possible to connect not only with people whose numbers we know, but with anyone who has set a username.

Privacy measures are at the heart of the feature. If a user's profile picture is set to "Everyone," it appears in search results. However, for those who share their profile picture only with specific people, this photo cannot be viewed by others. All chats can be managed through a single tab.

This innovation will be available not only domestically but also on a global scale. This will make it easier to establish international business connections or meet people from different countries. WhatsApp does not make creating a username mandatory; those who wish can continue to use the application only with their phone number. However, for those who set a username, communication will be faster and more secure.

News Source: 12punto