WhatsApp is reportedly testing the controversial username feature in India. A tipster has recently posted on X, where he shared screenshots of WhatsApp that allegedly use a Username to find another person. The all-new username feature of the messaging platform allows users to search for an account by entering its @username in WhatsApp’s search bar, even if the person is not saved in their contacts. However, the Indian government has previously shown privacy-related concerns about the new feature. Not only that, but they have also asked WhatsApp to halt the Username feature rollout in the country. Follow along with the article to check everything you should know.
According to a post shared by tipster Abhishek Yadav on its official X account, WhatsApp is reportedly testing its new username feature in India. He shared two screenshots that depict that searching for a username on WhatsApp can bring up the matching account even when it is not part of the user’s contact list. Not only that, but one can also see a chat button beside the search result, confirming that users can also initiate a conversation with the account.
WhatsApp is now testing chatting with people just by searching their username After username reservation went live, you can now search @username in the WhatsApp search bar and it shows the account even if they are not in your contacts, with a Chat button But you can’t message directly, WhatsApp asks for that account’s "username key" first, so only people who know the key can start a chat without your number Good for privacy, no need to share phone number anymore 👀 Thanks @gk_gutte143 for sharing images.
— Abhishek Yadav (@yabhishekhd) October 17, 2026
Yadav also noted that users cannot message someone directly on WhatsApp without knowing their account’s username key. Only those who know the key can initiate a chat without needing the person’s phone number.
The government has previously served notice to WhatsApp, sharing its concerns over the new feature. Back in July 2026, the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology directed Meta to explain the feature within three days and asked WhatsApp not to roll it out in India until consultations with the government were completed.
The government raised concerns that allowing people to contact others without knowing their phone numbers could increase online fraud, phishing, digital arrest scams and impersonation. Not only that, but it also warned that usernames resembling those of government agencies, financial institutions or individuals could be misused to deceive users. However, the current alleged testing comes amid regulatory concerns in India over WhatsApp’s planned username feature.
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At the time of writing, WhatsApp has not officially confirmed when the username-based chat will become widely available in India.
When talking about the global rollout, WhatsApp has previously shared that it would introduce usernames gradually, with users receiving notifications when the feature becomes available to them.