How to claim your WhatsApp username in 2026

Why it's worth claiming now

WhatsApp is rolling out @username handles in phases throughout 2026, similar to what Telegram and Instagram have offered for years. Instead of relying only on your phone number for people to reach you, you'll be able to share a unique name.

As with any unique-name system, whoever gets there first picks the name they want. If your brand, business, or personal identity name is in demand, it's worth claiming it as soon as the feature is available on your account — before someone else (or a fake profile) grabs it first.

What you need before you start

• An up-to-date WhatsApp account — the feature is rolling out in phases, so it may not be visible on your profile yet even with the app updated.
• Your username already decided in advance: letters, numbers, and dots or underscores are usually accepted, but the exact character set may vary until the rollout is complete.
• A backup plan, in case the name you wanted is already taken.

Step by step

1. Update WhatsApp to the latest version available in your app store.
2. Open Settings → Profile. If the feature has reached your account, you'll see an option to set or edit your @username.
3. Type the username you want. WhatsApp tells you if it's available.
4. Confirm. Your username gets linked to your account — your phone number keeps existing behind it, it isn't replaced.
5. Consider enabling a Username Key, especially if your name is common.

What to do after claiming it

Once you've set your username, the logical next step is making it shareable. That's where this site comes in: paste your username into the generator, and we create a ready-to-share link and QR code — for a business card, social bio, storefront, whatever you need.

Important: right now, a link in the format wa.me/username still doesn't automatically open a conversation, because WhatsApp hasn't published that specification yet. Whoever receives your link or scans the QR code needs to open WhatsApp and search for your username manually inside the app. As soon as WhatsApp confirms the official format, the generator gets updated — you won't need to do anything new.

If you need a link that opens the chat today, without waiting for that update, use the phone number generator available on this site's homepage instead.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Picking a numbers-only username — you lose the memorability advantage, which is the main reason to use usernames instead of a number.
• Not checking if the name already exists on your other networks (Instagram, X, TikTok) — consistency across platforms helps people confirm it's really your account.
• Forgetting to review your profile privacy. Having a public username doesn't mean you have to show your number — review your privacy settings after enabling the username.

Summary

Claiming your username now guarantees you get the name you want before it becomes unavailable. The process takes two minutes: update the app, set the name in Settings → Profile, and (recommended) enable a Username Key. The automatic link doesn't officially exist yet, but your shareable QR code and link can already be ready today.