Guide · Usernames · For the owner who runs the shop on the WhatsApp Business app

Your @username in the WhatsApp Business app: reserving it, the username key, changing or deleting it, and customers who hide their number

A shop on the WhatsApp Business app can now reserve an @username, so customers can message it without the phone number. WhatsApp's Help Center explains what that name shows and what it doesn't hide, how to reserve it before someone else does, the optional key that filters first messages, and what happens when you change or delete it. Here is that, step by step.

Published 14 October 2026

What a business username is, and what it doesn't hide

WhatsApp's article About usernames on WhatsApp Business says a username is an optional, unique name for your business, written like @YourBusinessName. Customers can use it to start a chat with you without needing your phone number. The same article says usernames on WhatsApp Business are rolling out gradually and might not be available to you yet, and that you can reserve one in the meantime.

Not your business name: Your username is different from the business name that appears on your business profile.
Your number stays: Your business phone number is still visible on your business profile, and a phone number is still required for a WhatsApp Business account.
Number still works: Customers who have your phone number can still contact you by it.
What stays the same: The article How to create and manage your business username says your display name, photo, description and existing chats stay the same, and you can still message customers by their phone numbers. Your customers may be notified when you create a username.

Our reading

For a business, a username is an easier way in, not privacy. Creating one does not hide your number, as the Help Center says in those words.

Who sees it, and how customers find you

WhatsApp's article About usernames on WhatsApp Business says customers who don't have your number saved see your username instead of your number. That includes when you message them directly, take part in group chats or make WhatsApp calls, and the username always appears with an @. How to create and manage your business username adds that customers who already have your number saved keep seeing it.

No directory: Customers type your exact username into WhatsApp to start a chat. There's no searchable directory, so they need to know it exactly.
Sharing it: The Help Center says to put it on your marketing materials, signage and social media, and that you can also share it by QR code or a direct link.
Your country: How to create and manage your business username says that when you message someone new, WhatsApp may show them the country where your number is registered, to help them decide whether to respond.
One per number: Each phone number can have only one username. A business with more than one number needs a different username for each.

Reserving one before usernames reach you

WhatsApp's article About username reservations on WhatsApp Business says that where business usernames aren't available yet, you can reserve one now. It is held for your account and others can't claim it. Reserving is optional.

The steps: Go to your business profile. Under Username, tap Reserve username, then Reserve username again. Enter the name you want, tap Reserve, then Done.
Nobody sees it yet: No one can see a reserved username, and customers can't message you by it, until it becomes active. You get a notification in WhatsApp Business when it does.
First come, first served: Usernames are generally available on a first-come, first-served basis, and some are held and can't be claimed. The article About usernames on WhatsApp Business says certain names are held for businesses, governments or public figures.
Meta Verified with a web address: For a Meta Verified business with a custom web page address, the business username automatically matches that address. It is already reserved and you don't need to do anything.

Meta's resource page on business usernames advises preparing two or three alternatives, because popular names go fast. It says a username can be claimed in the WhatsApp Business app, WhatsApp Manager, Meta Business Suite or through the Cloud API, and that approved usernames become active once the feature is available in your country.

Claiming your Facebook or Instagram name in time

The reservation article says you may be able to claim the same username you use on Instagram or Facebook, but there's a limited time to do so. First link your WhatsApp Business account with your Facebook Page or Instagram Business profile: in the WhatsApp Business app, go to Tools, then Facebook and Instagram, and follow the prompts.

WhatsApp's article Troubleshoot business username issues adds that a name already in use on Instagram or Facebook is held for the owner of that account. To claim it, the owner adds WhatsApp to the same Accounts Center, and there's a limited time to do this before it becomes available to others. The same page says Accounts Center is being renamed Meta Account, so you may see either name. If you only just linked the accounts, restart the app.

Our reading

If your shop already has a known Instagram or Facebook handle, link the accounts and reserve that name first, before anything else on this page. The Help Center does not say how long the window is.

Creating it, changing it and moving it to another number

WhatsApp's article How to create and manage your business username gives these steps, once usernames are available to you:

Create: Go to the Tools tab, then Profile. Tap Create username, enter the name you want and tap Save.
Change: Go to the Tools tab, then Profile. Tap Username, then Edit, then Change username. Enter the new name, tap Save, then Continue.
Limited changes: There's a limit to how many times you can change your business username, and after a change your previous username may become available for others to claim.
A new number, same phone: In the WhatsApp Business app, a username can move to a different number only by changing your phone number on the same phone. It can't be moved to an existing business account on a different phone.
On the Cloud API: For businesses on Meta's Cloud API, a username can be moved to another number in the same business portfolio, and the username stays the same.

The articles disagree on the format. How to create and manage your business username says up to 25 characters, lowercase letters a to z and numbers 0 to 9 only. The reservation article and Meta's resource page say 3 to 35 characters, lowercase letters, numbers, underscores and periods, not only numbers, and no restricted words.

Our reading

Until the pages agree, the check inside the app decides. A name of 3 to 25 characters, using only lowercase letters and numbers and not only numbers, fits both versions. Also, changing the name is limited and lets the old one go to someone else, so choose once.

The username key: a filter on first messages

WhatsApp's article How to add and manage your business username key says a key is an optional code. If you turn it on, new customers who reach you by username need your username and your key to message you the first time.

Who doesn't need it: Customers you've already chatted with, customers who have your phone number, customers in a group with you, customers who scanned your QR code, and customers you messaged first.
Turn it on: Go to the Tools tab, then Profile. Tap Username, then Contact me by username, and select People who know my key. This generates a key.
Get a new one: Tap Get a different key to generate another, then Save key. You'll see a notice that your key has changed.
Turn it off: Under Contact me by username, select Everyone and confirm with Remove.
Sharing it: The article suggests giving the key together with your username: on business cards, on receipts or packaging, or when you tell someone your WhatsApp.

The article is plain about its limits: your username key is not a password, only a lightweight filter to reduce unwanted first-contact messages. If unwanted messages arrive, generate a new key and share it again with the customers you want to hear from.

Our reading

A key on your shop sign is seen by everyone who walks past, so it filters little there. It suits a business that gives its username to known customers, for example on a receipt, and wants fewer messages from strangers.

Deleting it

WhatsApp's article How to delete your business username lists what happens. Go to your business profile, tap Username, then Edit, then Delete username, then Delete.

Your number shows again: Customers who saw your @username see your phone number when you message them.
Someone else can take it: The username becomes available to others, and another business or person may claim it.
Number only: People can no longer message you by username. They need your phone number.
Chats stay: Deleting the username doesn't affect chat history or contacts.

The article says deleting your username is permanent. If you change your mind later, your previous username might not be available.

When something goes wrong

WhatsApp's article Troubleshoot business username issues covers the common messages:

No username option: Update WhatsApp Business to the latest version, check whether usernames are available in your region yet, and restart the app after updating. The option appears in your profile when it is available.
This username is not available: The name may be held because it is used on Instagram or Facebook, for the owner of that account. Or a reservation was interrupted, for example by a network problem; it should become available again after a few minutes or a restart.
Username is taken: Someone else has claimed it. Try a variation, for example with numbers, underscores or other words, or tap Suggest a username.
Try again later: After several attempts in a short time you may be temporarily limited from trying again. Wait a few minutes.
Customers can't find you: Make sure the username is active, not just reserved. Check that customers type the exact spelling, including the @ and any numbers, underscores or periods. Share it yourself, since there's no directory.
QR code stopped working: After a username change, your old QR code no longer works; share the updated one, which reflects the new name. A QR code only leads to a chat once the username is active. Keep the image clear, uncropped and large enough to scan.

Our reading

Anything already printed with a username QR code, such as menus, bags or shop signs, needs reprinting after a change. Another reason to settle the name before you print.

Customers who hide their number behind a username

Usernames are not only for businesses. WhatsApp's article About usernames says a person who creates a username keeps their phone number private: it is not visible when they message or call anyone who doesn't already have it saved, including in existing conversations, which carry on as normal. People who already have their number saved keep seeing it.

About usernames on WhatsApp Business says these customers may message your business without ever sharing their phone number. If you need it, for example for delivery or support, it suggests setting up a quick reply that asks them to share their contact information in the chat.

Our reading

A delivery business should expect some orders to arrive with no number, and should keep a quick reply ready that asks for one. When messages reach a system through Meta's Platform instead of the app, the same change is covered in our guide when a WhatsApp customer's phone number stops arriving.

Look-alike names and impersonation

WhatsApp's general article How to report a username (written for personal accounts) says usernames are unique, so no one can have exactly yours. But someone could create a similar-looking one, such as @JaneDoe and @Jane_Doe, and variations count as different usernames. You can't reserve several usernames to block them.

Report: If someone uses a similar username to pretend to be you, open the chat with them, tap their name at the top, scroll down and tap Report. You can also choose Block so they can't message or call you. The labels in the WhatsApp Business app may differ slightly.
No trading: You can't buy, sell or trade usernames. WhatsApp reserves the right to remove usernames or ban accounts that do.
What WhatsApp may do: After review, WhatsApp may remove usernames or ban accounts that it believes break its Terms of Service or Business Terms of Service.

Our reading

Tell regular customers your exact @username, and that you will never ask for payment from a different one. That makes a look-alike easier for them to spot.

What this means for your shop

BitByteCore is a verified Meta Tech Provider (since 9 September 2026). This guide repeats WhatsApp's own Help Center articles and Meta's resource page, and is not legal advice.

Our reading

Reserve the name now, matching your Instagram or Facebook handle if you have one, and have two backups ready. Keep your number on the profile, since a username doesn't replace it. Hold back printing QR codes until the username is active and final.

Questions

Does a WhatsApp Business username hide my phone number?

No. WhatsApp's Help Center says your business phone number stays visible on your business profile, and creating a username does not hide it. Customers who haven't saved your number see your @username in chats, groups and calls.

Can customers search for my business by username?

Only by typing your exact username. There's no searchable directory, so share it on signage, social media, a QR code or a link.

I don't see a username option. What should I do?

Usernames are rolling out gradually. Update WhatsApp Business, check whether usernames are available in your region, and restart the app. The Help Center says the option appears in your profile when it is available, and where business usernames aren't active yet that option may let you reserve one.

Can I use my Instagram or Facebook name?

Possibly, if it is yours. WhatsApp's Help Center says you may be able to claim it, after linking your WhatsApp Business account to your Facebook Page or Instagram Business profile in Tools, Facebook and Instagram, and that there's a limited time to claim it before it becomes available to others.

What is a username key?

An optional code new customers need, with your username, to message you the first time. People who have your number, have chatted with you, share a group, scanned your QR code or were messaged by you first don't need it. It is not a password.

What happens if I delete my username?

It is permanent. Customers see your phone number again, people can no longer message you by username, and someone else may claim the name. Your chats and contacts stay.

Who is BitByteCore?

BitByteCore is a verified Meta Tech Provider (since 9 September 2026). This guide repeats WhatsApp's own Help Center articles and Meta's resource page, and is not legal advice.

Sources

WhatsApp Help Center: About usernames on WhatsApp Business, read 14 October 2026.
WhatsApp Help Center: About username reservations on WhatsApp Business, read 14 October 2026.
WhatsApp Help Center: How to create and manage your business username, read 14 October 2026.
WhatsApp Help Center: How to add and manage your business username key, read 14 October 2026.
WhatsApp Help Center: How to delete your business username, read 14 October 2026.
WhatsApp Help Center: Troubleshoot business username issues, read 14 October 2026.
WhatsApp Help Center: About usernames, read 14 October 2026.
WhatsApp Help Center: How to report a username, read 14 October 2026.
WhatsApp Business resource library: Make it easier for customers to find your business with a WhatsApp username, read 14 October 2026.

This guide describes WhatsApp's pages as we read them, and is not legal advice. More plain-language notes like this one are on the guides page.

Want every customer chat in one place your team controls?

We set up a business's WhatsApp number on a system its team runs, so every conversation sits in one inbox the business controls and the whole team can answer from it. A short call is the easiest way to see how that would work for you.

Book a demo