WhatsApp is set to undergo one of the biggest shake-ups since its inception.
The ludicrously-popular chat app, which boasts more than 2.5 billion users worldwide, will move away from phone numbers to usernames. This shift means you’ll soon be able to add contacts using only a username — like an Instagram account or Snapchat — instead of phone numbers.
Ditching the emphasis on phone numbers will bolster privacy, WhatsApp parent company Meta, which also owns and operates Instagram and Messenger, has announced in a blog post for developers.
WhatsApp parent company Meta has announced: “Until now, the only place you were able to add contacts was from your mobile device, by either typing in a phone number or scanning a QR code. Soon, you’ll be able to add and manage contacts from the comfort of your keyboard on WhatsApp Web and Windows – and eventually other linked devices.”
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It clarifies: “With contacts, you know which of your friends and family are on WhatsApp, you can easily message or call them, and it helps give you context on who is in your groups. But losing your phone could mean losing your contact list as well.
“Traditionally, WhatsApp has lacked the ability to store your contact list in a way that can be easily and automatically restored in the event you lose it. What’s more, the only place you were able to add contacts was from your mobile device, by either typing in a phone number or scanning a QR code.”
With the introduction of usernames, you’ll be able to kickstart conversations on WhatsApp without necessarily sharing personal information, like your phone number.
If you’re added to a Group Chat on WhatsApp by a mutual friend, it means everyone in that conversation won’t have access to your phone number — only your username.
While the exact launch date for username support has not been specified, WhatsApp has indicated that it’s an upcoming goal for the firm. This move follows in the footsteps of other messaging apps like Signal, which introduced a similar feature earlier this year.
With the arrival of usernames, WhatsApp will enable you to add new contacts from other platforms, like the WhatsApp app on Windows, macOS, and WhatsApp Web in any web browser. Rumours of an iPad app have swirled for years — and screenshots of the tablet interface have been unearthed in beta versions of the software — but nothing has materialised. Switching from phone numbers to usernames could enable iPad owners to set-up a WhatsApp account, add new contacts, and start conversations without the need for a SIM card or number.
In the blog post, Meta explains, “Soon, you’ll be able to add and manage contacts from the comfort of your keyboard on WhatsApp Web and Windows – and eventually other linked devices.”
In addition to username support, WhatsApp is expanding its contact management capabilities across multiple devices. Users will soon be able to save and manage contacts directly within the app, rather than relying solely on the address book stored and managed by the smartphone’s operating system. This feature will be available on WhatsApp Web and Windows platforms, with plans to extend to other linked devices in the future.
The expansion of contact management to other linked devices offers several benefits. Users can now save contacts exclusively to WhatsApp, ideal for shared phones or separating personal and business contacts.
Until now, the only way to have someone appear within WhatsApp is to add them as a contact on your iPhone or Android smartphone and then relaunch the chat app.
“These WhatsApp contacts are ideal for when you are sharing your phone with others or if you want to separate personal and business contacts when managing more than one WhatsApp account on your phone,” the team behind WhatsApp state in the blog post.
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This upcoming shift could prove particularly useful when managing multiple WhatsApp accounts on a single device. It also means WhatsApp will be responsible for restoring a contact list from backup — rather than hoping that data has been securely baked-up by iOS or Android operating system.
Meta developers working on WhatsApp have shared details on how its new Identity Proof Linked Storage (IPLS) system will work and how it can improve security
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In order to make all of this happen, WhatsApp is introducing a new encrypted storage system called Identity Proof Linked Storage (IPLS). This will enable you to store contacts directly within WhatsApp, ensuring better privacy and security for your data.
With IPLS, stored contact names are encrypted within the platform and can only be viewed by the owner of the WhatsApp account, the team behind the software has stated.
The new system also enables contact synchronisation across WhatsApp-linked devices. If a user saves a new contact from any linked device, it will automatically sync to their phone — something that currently blocks you from being able to tweak or create a contact on another device, like a laptop, running WhatsApp.