WhatsApp continues to change the way users identify themselves on the platform. The application has started rolling out a new feature that allows users to enter a username in addition to the name and phone number when adding a new contact to their address book.

Preparations for a username system have been ongoing for some time on the platform, which previously only allowed connections via phone number. This new step stands out as the latest development in WhatsApp’s long-awaited username integration process.

A New Era in the Contact Saving Process

The new feature is located on the contact adding screen, which is accessed by pressing the plus button in the chats section of WhatsApp. Users now see a username field right next to the name and phone number fields.

This field allows individuals who want to add someone to their address book to also save the other person’s username. WhatsApp states that as usernames become more common, this field will be automatically filled in when creating a contact from the chat information screen.

According to information shared by WABetaInfo, this feature is being enabled for reasonable users in both beta and stable versions. However, at this stage, some users are reporting that when they enter an existing username, the system does not yet provide an exact match and returns an error message.

Why is the Username System Important?

WhatsApp launched a system earlier this year allowing users to reserve their preferred usernames. This system was designed specifically to reduce fraud attempts and ensure users have a more secure identity on the platform.

In recent weeks, the activation of usernames has begun for select iPhone users. Now, the integration of these usernames into contact management shows the platform’s effort to close the gap with other messaging applications.

This feature seems to set to change contact management habits. What do you think about WhatsApp switching to a username system?