Meta has opened username reservation ahead of the full rollout later this year. Reserving a username now secures it for later use once the feature becomes active.
How to reserve a username
In charles, clients can reserve their WhatsApp username directly from the platform.
Navigate to Integrations > WhatsApp > Username.
Enter the username you want to reserve, or select one of the suggestions provided by Meta.
Confirm the selection.
The username is now reserved for the connected WhatsApp Business Account. It is not active for messaging yet; Meta is rolling out the feature gradually over the coming months.
Using Meta's suggestions
Meta generates username suggestions based on the connected account. These suggestions appear directly in the username field in charles and can be selected without typing a custom name.
Using an Instagram handle as the username
Businesses that want to reuse their existing Instagram handle as their WhatsApp username need to connect their Instagram page to the same phone number first. charles displays an info box in the Username section with a direct link to Meta Business Manager to complete this connection.
Steps:
In the Username section, follow the link to Meta Business Manager from the info box.
Connect the Instagram page to the phone number used for the WhatsApp Business Account.
Return to Integrations > WhatsApp > Username in charles and select the Instagram handle from the available suggestions.
What happens next
Reserving a username does not change how the account currently sends or receives messages. Once WhatsApp activates usernames for the account's region, the reserved name becomes usable, and Meta will notify affected accounts through WhatsApp.
For more on WhatsApp usernames, see Meta's announcement: It's Time to Reserve Your WhatsApp Username