How to claim your WhatsApp business username in 2026, and the rules it must follow

Updated 2026-10-22 · 4 min read · By the Convo360 team

What a business username is

WhatsApp is adding optional usernames for people and businesses. According to Meta's usernames and BSUID documentation, WhatsApp will roll usernames out gradually in 2026, and businesses could start reserving theirs from 29 June 2026.

A business username is a handle such as kumar.sweets or shreeji_tiles that customers can recognise and search for. Each username maps to a single business phone number, a number can have only one username at a time, and no two WhatsApp numbers, consumer or business, can share one.

One point Meta makes clearly: business usernames are not a privacy feature. Adopting one does not hide your business phone number, which always appears in your business profile.

Where to claim it

Meta has reserved a username for many businesses, usually matching their existing brand. You can claim that reserved name, or adopt a different one that fits your branding:

• Claim a reserved name in WhatsApp Manager, Meta Business Suite or through the Username API.
• Adopt or change a username in Meta Business Suite, WhatsApp Manager, the WhatsApp Business app or the Username API.

If the reserved name is already in use on your Facebook Page or Instagram account, Meta asks you to link your WhatsApp business phone number to that Page or account before you can claim it. You can link the number while claiming in Business Suite or WhatsApp Manager, or from the Page or Instagram settings. The person doing it needs full control of the Page or account, or partial access with the manage phone permission.

A claimed and approved username becomes visible to customers once the username feature is available to them.

The format rules your username must follow

Case does not matter when names are compared, so MehtaSalon and mehtasalon are the same. Periods and underscores do matter: mehtasalon, mehta.salon and mehta_salon are three different usernames. If your first choice is taken, a period or underscore version may be free, but check it still reads clearly when said aloud over the phone.

Choosing a username customers will remember

Treat the username like a shop sign. A few tips that suit Indian businesses:

• Match your other handles. If your Instagram is @gupta.sweets.jaipur, use the same on WhatsApp so customers recognise you everywhere.
• Spell it the way customers say it. Avoid creative spellings of Hindi or regional words that people will type differently.
• Add a city only if it helps. A single-location clinic gains from it; a brand planning to expand may not.
• Think about each number. Each username belongs to one phone number, so a support number and a sales number need different names, such as gupta.sweets and gupta.sweets.orders.

Errors you may see, and what they mean

• Username not available (147001): already claimed, blocked by Meta's checks, or not allowed. Try another.
• Account not eligible (147002): the business portfolio needs a higher messaging limit. Business verification is the usual way up from 250.
• Facebook or Instagram account not linked (147003, 147004): link the number to the Page or Instagram account that already uses the name.
• Transfer required (147005): the name is on another number in your own portfolio. You can move it deliberately.

If someone else has taken a name that impersonates your brand, Meta offers a Report Abuse channel in Direct Support and an intellectual property contact form. Meta can also revoke usernames, so keep your profile and conduct within WhatsApp's policies.

How your name appears to customers

In a chat window, WhatsApp shows business information in this order of priority:

1. The name the customer saved in their contacts
2. Your verified business name or Official Business Account name
3. Your username
4. Your phone number

So a username matters most for new customers who have not saved your number, such as someone who found you through an ad or a QR code at a Diwali stall. For trust signals beyond the username, see how to get the WhatsApp blue tick.

The customer side, and what Convo360 handles

Usernames are optional for customers too. When a customer uses one, WhatsApp may show you a business-scoped user ID (BSUID) instead of their phone number. Meta says supporting BSUIDs is required for every platform and directly integrated business, and for Click to WhatsApp advertisers.

On Convo360, contacts who message you from a username are handled, so they reach the same flows, AI agent and live-chat inbox as everyone else. Two practical tips:

• If you need a phone number, for a callback or an OTP, ask for it with an Ask a Question block or a WhatsApp Flow form, with consent. Meta's documentation says BSUIDs cannot be used for copy-code, one-tap or zero-tap authentication templates.
• Do not use the phone number as the only key in your Google Sheets or CRM. Read usernames and BSUIDs explained for the details.

Claiming the business username itself happens in Meta's tools, not in Convo360, and costs nothing.

Step by step

1. Choose a name that passes the rulesPick 3 to 35 characters using English letters, digits, periods or underscores, with no domain ending.
2. Check your Facebook Page and InstagramIf they already use the name, link your WhatsApp business number to that Page or account first.
3. Claim it in Meta's toolsOpen WhatsApp Manager, Meta Business Suite or the WhatsApp Business app and claim the reserved or chosen username.
4. Fix any error codeResolve 147001 to 147005 errors by choosing another name, raising your limit, linking accounts or transferring.
5. Prepare for customer usernamesMake sure your bot and CRM can handle contacts identified by a business-scoped user ID.

Example conversation

Frequently asked questions

Official sources

• Meta: Business-scoped user IDs and usernames (updated 15 September 2026) (checked 22 October 2026)
• Meta: Messaging limits (checked 22 October 2026)

Related reading

Available across India — see WhatsApp & AI calling automation by state and city.