All articles tagged with #whatsapp
India has issued a stern notice to Meta demanding Instagram remove all child sexual abuse material and paid ads within seven days, signaling tougher regulatory scrutiny in Meta’s biggest market; WhatsApp is also under government scrutiny over its username feature, while Meta reiterates a zero-tolerance policy and uses AI to detect violations.
WhatsApp is rolling out a feature that lets users reserve usernames (3–35 characters) to message others without revealing phone numbers. Access is staged, with a notification when you can reserve, and you can set a username in Settings > Account > Username. If you have an Instagram or Facebook username, you can claim the same on WhatsApp. There is no username directory or discovery, and messages to a username require knowing the exact handle, with an optional username key for extra spam protection. The rollout will occur gradually over the coming months, and a username-enabled account won't reveal a phone number to first-time contacts.
WhatsApp has begun rolling out global reservations for usernames to hide users’ phone numbers and let contact be initiated via a chosen username. Users can reserve a unique username in Settings > Account > Username and may enable a username key for extra protection, which requires knowing the key to contact someone for the first time. A username generator will help pick one, and creators can claim existing Instagram or Facebook usernames on WhatsApp. The feature emphasizes privacy with no public directory or suggestions and will roll out gradually over coming months, with notifications when it’s available in your country.
WhatsApp announced it will begin reserving unique usernames, allowing users to be contacted by a handle rather than revealing their phone numbers. The feature is optional and includes a claims system for creators, small businesses, and organizations to reuse existing usernames from Instagram or Facebook. There will be no public directory or recommendation system, and users can opt to add an optional username key for extra protection on first contact. Reservations are rolling out now, with actual usernames becoming available gradually over the coming months and in-app notifications when a username is available in a user’s country.
WhatsApp is adding optional usernames to let people connect without sharing phone numbers; reservations open this week with an in-app notification to set a username or port over your Instagram/Facebook name, plus a four-digit key for extra security. High-profile names are protected from being claimed, and existing Facebook/Instagram handles get priority during the RSVP window before a wider launch.
WhatsApp will introduce a username system that lets you reserve unique handles so people can message you without knowing your phone number. You can claim a username now via Settings > Account > Username (existing Instagram or Facebook handles can be used to deter impersonation). High-profile names are reserved to prevent abuse, and you can’t browse by username—you must know the exact handle to contact someone. The rollout will happen later this year, and an optional username key will let you control who can message you.
Meta appoints Kunal Shah, founder of Cred, to lead WhatsApp, making him the first Indian to helm the global platform. The move follows Meta's $900 million investment in Cred and aligns with WhatsApp's push into payments, business tools, and AI-powered products, leveraging Shah’s product-focused background from FreeCharge and his involvement in India's expanding startup ecosystem.
Meta will have Will Cathcart step down after more than seven years as head of WhatsApp to take a new role building products, appointing Cred founder Kunal Shah to run WhatsApp; Meta is investing $900 million in Cred (valued at about $4.5 billion post-money) as WhatsApp surpasses 3 billion monthly users and Meta tests subscriptions for WhatsApp, Facebook, and Instagram to diversify beyond ads and offset AI costs.
Will Cathcart is stepping down after seven years as WhatsApp head; Meta will name Cred founder Kunal Shah to take over, with a $900 million investment giving Cred a 20% stake. Cathcart will remain at Meta in a new role, while Shah leaves Cred to run WhatsApp as the platform continues expanding (iPad support, ads, and private AI chats).
WhatsApp is rolling out a new iOS beta animation for chat bubbles, where messages fade in and subtly scale as they settle into the conversation. The feature is currently limited to a subset of testers on iOS via TestFlight (build 26.24.10.70), with no public release date yet; Android testing is also underway.
Google is rolling out a Play Services update (v26.23) that adds a WhatsApp backup management page directly in Android’s device settings, making it easier to view and adjust backups; the feature isn’t widely available yet and should surface on eligible devices in the coming days, alongside other tweaks like an updated Google Contacts sync experience and Wallet history improvements as part of the Android 17 and June Pixel Drop rollout.
WhatsApp is developing a new ephemeral feature for iOS that will let users send read-once view-once text messages. After typing, users can long-press Send to choose “Send as view once,” allowing the recipient to open the message only once before it becomes inaccessible, in both individual chats and groups (not in channels). The feature isn't in beta yet, but could roll out more broadly after testing, per WABetaInfo.
Meta’s services, including Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp, faced a Friday outage with most services restored and the WhatsApp Business Platform still disrupted; the company hasn’t disclosed a cause, while DownDetector tracked spikes in user reports.
WhatsApp is broadening its multi-account support on iOS by adding an 'Add account' option in the Account menu. Users can set up a second account by registering a new number or linking an existing one via QR code, and switch between accounts directly from the Account menu.
WhatsApp will require iOS 15.5 or newer and iPadOS 15.5 or newer starting November 30, 2026. Some older devices can update to 15.5, but devices like iPhone 6s/6s Plus, iPhone SE (1st gen), iPhone 7/7 Plus, iPad Air 2, and iPad mini 4 will need the latest available build (iOS 15.8.8 / iPadOS 15.8.8) to continue using WhatsApp.