The latest beta version of WhatsApp for Android shows that the company is working on a “search by username” feature. WABetaInfo, which regularly follows the progress of WhatsApp features under development, stated that it noticed a new change in the WhatsApp 2.23.25.19 beta version for Android and added that the feature under development is not yet available to beta testers.
It is already known that the messaging application has been working on the feature of adding a username for a while. The ability to choose custom usernames will provide an extra layer of privacy, as users will not have to reveal their phone numbers on the service. But it’s really nice to see that this innovation has expanded to the search part as well.
WhatsApp currently allows users to find other contacts by typing their phone number into the search bar. According to a screenshot shared by the website, the “search by username” feature will similarly allow users to find other people by typing their username using the search bar.
The first signs that usernames would come to WhatsApp appeared in May this year, but there is no official statement as to when it will come to the stable version of the application. WABetaInfo states that the choice to set a username for the WhatsApp account will belong to the user.