WhatsApp Usernames & BSUID: The Essential Guide for Your Business 2026

As WhatsApp prepares for the phased rollout of its privacy protection policies starting in July 2026, Meta is set to officially launch the “Usernames” feature. This transition introduces a new backend identification mechanism: the Business-Scoped User ID (BSUID). For businesses using the WhatsApp Business Platform, adopting this identifier is essential to prevent service disruptions and ensure you can continue reaching your customers effectively.

What are WhatsApp Usernames?

Traditionally, WhatsApp accounts have been tied strictly to mobile phone numbers. However, users have expressed a preference for controlling when and with whom they share this private information.

With this update, users can choose a unique Username (e.g., @A.Whitman). This allows customers to start 1:1 chats or join groups without revealing their phone number, fostering greater trust and comfort when engaging with your brand.

The situation moving forward depends on individual user choice : 

• If a user adopts a username, their phone number will be hidden by default from businesses they message.
• If a user decides not to adopt a username, they will remain identifiable by their phone number just as they are today.
• If you already possessed the user’s phone number before they enabled a username, or if there was an interaction between both parties within the 30 days prior to them enabling it, their phone number will remain visible to you.

Establishing Your Brand: Claiming WhatsApp Business Usernames

Businesses can also adopt usernames to build a professional, searchable presence. This allows customers to find you by name at Whatsapp.

Starting from 29 June 2026, you can officially claim usernames reserved for Official Business Accounts and Meta Verified names via WhatsApp Manager and Meta Business Suite.

Reserve a username in WhatsApp Manager

1. Open WhatsApp Manager.
2. Click Phone number in the left menu, then click your phone number.
3. Click Profile, then scroll to Username.
4. Click Create, then enter the username you want.
   • You can also choose a username from Suggested.
5. Click Save.
6. Click Close.
   

Reserve a username in Meta Business Suite

1. Go to Meta Business Suite.
2. Click WhatsApp Accounts in the left menu.
3. Click the phone number you want to create a username for.
4. Click Phone numbers, then click the edit icon (looks like a pen).
5. Scroll to Username, then click Create.
6. Enter the username you want.
   • You can also choose a username from Suggested.
7. Click Save.
8. Click Close.

When you reserve a business username, it becomes active when the feature launches in your region. You’ll get a notification when your username is ready to use.

Beyond the Phone Number: Understanding BSUID

While usernames protect privacy on the front end, businesses need a reliable way to identify customers on the back end. This is where the Business-Scoped User ID (BSUID) comes in.

The BSUID is a unique, anonymized identifier assigned to a user specifically for your business. For enhanced security, two different businesses will see different BSUIDs for the same user, preventing cross-business tracking.

• Unique per business. The same user has a different BSUID for every business they message. Your data stays consistent while their privacy is protected.
• Tied to your Facebook Business Manager. The BSUID is consistent across all WhatsApp numbers and WABAs under the same FBM.
• Stable over time. Once assigned, the BSUID stays the same for that user. It only regenerates if the user changes their phone number.
• Format example: HK.13491208655302741918 (ISO 3166 country code prefix + alphanumeric string, up to 128 characters)
  

How BSUID works for your business:

• User who did NOT adopt a username: If your business has adopted the BSUID system, you will receive their Phone number AND their BSUID. Otherwise, you will only see the phone number.
• User who adopted a username: You will primarily identify them via their BSUID. You will only see their phone number if you have a pre-existing conversation with them; otherwise, you will only receive the BSUID.
  

Omnichat Is Ready for This Change

Omnichat has been preparing for the WhatsApp username and BSUID changes well ahead of rollout: BSUIDs have been captured automatically since April 2026, with automatic contact matching, BSUID messaging, and more now live. For the full feature list, rollout timeline, and what you can do now, see our WhatsApp Username & BSUID feature update announcement.

Immediate Actions for Businesses:

1. CRM Upgrade & System Integration: If your system is technically integrated with Omnichat and involves transferring customer data back to your own platform for processing, we recommend adding a dedicated BSUID field to your CRM and related operational systems. This ensures you can record the BSUID alongside phone numbers and emails, preventing any loss of customer interaction history due to changes in identifiers.
2. Build logic to support handling multiple identifiers : phone number from non-username adopters; BSUID from username adopters, without phone number present), and map relevant fields back to their CRM/database
3. Map Existing Data: Use the BSUIDs now appearing in your webhooks to map your current customer database to these new identifiers.
4. Utilize Native Sharing: If a phone number is required for your service (e.g., shipping), use the native sharing flow to ask users to share it securely. (More details will be provided by Meta later)
5. Claim Your Business Username: Prepare to claim your reserved business username starting in June 2026.

Book a consultation with an Omnichat professional consultant immediately, and let us help you complete your technical deployment. We ensure you can still accurately identify customers and maintain highly efficient automated service workflows in the new era of WhatsApp privacy!