WhatsApp starts rolling out username support when creating new contacts
As WhatsApp approaches the official rollout of usernames, the app now lets users save a contact’s username alongside their name and phone number. Here are the details.
WhatsApp is set to introduce username support when creating new contacts, as the messaging app continues its gradual transition away from solely relying on phone numbers for user identification. This updated feature, first spotted by WABetaInfo, will allow users to save a contact's username alongside their name and phone number.
The username field will appear between the first and last name fields and the phone number section, accessible through the "New contact" option in the Chats tab. Users can now share usernames with their contacts, making it easier to differentiate between individuals with the same name. Once usernames are widely available, WhatsApp will automatically populate this field when users create a new contact from the chat info screen.
Currently, the username field is available in both beta and stable versions of the app, although a test run on the stable version resulted in an error message for existing usernames. This development signifies WhatsApp's ongoing efforts to catch up with competitors by incorporating a seemingly basic yet essential feature that has long been absent.
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