WhatsApp is testing a new privacy feature that will allow users to control who can see their phone numbers and will be able to hide it from others when communicating on the messaging platform.
The feature is being developed for Android devices and has appeared in a recent beta version of the app, according to technology website WABetaInfo.
The new setting is designed to give users more control over their personal information. It is expected to offer four options: “Everyone”, “My Contacts”, “My Contacts Except” and “Nobody”.
Users will be able to choose who can view their phone numbers during chats and calls.
The new privacy option is linked to WhatsApp’s username system, which the company introduced in June 2026.
The feature allows users to choose and reserve usernames ahead of its wider rollout. It is intended to let people communicate without having to share their phone numbers.
Under the proposed system, phone number visibility controls will only be available to users who have a WhatsApp username.
However, the new setting will not hide a user’s number from people who already know it. Existing contacts will still be able to see the number in chats and calls, while people connecting through a username will not be able to view it.
The phone number privacy setting is still under development and is not currently available to users, including those enrolled in WhatsApp’s beta programme, WABetaInfo reported.
WhatsApp has not announced an official release date for the feature. It is therefore unclear when the option will become available to users worldwide.
