WhatsApp usernames in Aircall

This article explains how WhatsApp usernames work in Aircall Workspace. Some inbound WhatsApp contacts may appear with a username (for example, @carlos_mx) instead of a phone number. No setup is required on your side, but there are a few differences in how these contacts behave that are worth understanding.

WhatsApp usernames are being rolled out in two phases:

• Phase 1 covers the June 2026 pilot markets.
• Phase 2, launching with the global rollout in August 2026, will bring the full product experience including contact management, CRM integrations, and conversation history linking.

Note: WhatsApp usernames are being introduced gradually across markets. If you are not yet seeing username-only contacts in your workspace, this feature may not have reached your region yet. The global rollout planned for this feature is August 2026. Dates are subject to change depending on Meta's actual rollout timeline.

What is a username-only contact?

WhatsApp is giving consumers the option to create a unique, personal username and, separately, to hide their phone number from businesses they message. When a contact hides their phone number, they appear in Aircall Workspace using their username instead of a phone number. This is a Meta-driven change that happens automatically. No configuration is required in Aircall Workspace.

Important: Adopting a username and hiding a phone number are two separate choices a consumer makes independently. Most contacts will continue to appear with a phone number as normal. Only contacts who have specifically chosen to hide their phone number will appear as username-only.

How username-only contacts appear in Aircall

When a contact has hidden their phone number, they are identified by their username across your workspace. For such cases, Aircall Workspace will expose two things: usernames and profile names. Profile name is the information about that profile shared with us by Meta.

In the conversation list

The contact appears with a profile name as their identifier instead of a phone number.

In the conversation header

The contact name shows as a profile name and the subline indicates a @username followed by an info icon, indicating that a phone number is not available. In Phase 2, Create contact and Link to existing links appear here so you can connect the conversation to a contact record.

In the contact panel

In Phase 2, the username is shown (for example, @carlos_mx) and in place of the phone field, there will be a note: "No phone number provided by user." No contact record is automatically resolved. You will need to create or link one manually.

What is not available for username-only contacts

Most of your day-to-day WhatsApp workflows continue as normal with username-only contacts. You can send and receive messages, use Marketing and Utility templates, assign conversations, and manage them exactly as you would any other WhatsApp contact. The following features, however, are not available.

Calling

WhatsApp Voice is not currently available.

Channel switching

For conversations with WhatsApp username-based contacts, switching between SMS and WhatsApp will not be possible. In Phase 2, channel switching will only be possible if the username has been saved to an existing contact that has a phone number.

Authentication templates

Authentication templates, including one-time passcodes (OTP) and copy-code verification messages, cannot be sent to contacts who have hidden their phone number. Authentication templates require a phone number to deliver the verification code. This is a WhatsApp platform restriction that applies regardless of which tool you use to send them.

In the template picker, the Authentication category will appear greyed out with a strikethrough when you are in a username-only conversation. The info icon will state the reason: "Phone number is required to send authentication templates."

Note: If your workflow depends on sending verification codes to customers, those messages cannot be delivered to contacts who have hidden their phone number. Marketing and Utility templates remain fully available.

Automatic contact matching

Username-only contacts will not automatically match to an existing contact record in Aircall. The contact panel will show no linked record until you connect one manually. This can be done in Phase 2.

To create a new contact:

1. Open the username-only conversation.
2. Click Create contact in the conversation header or contact panel.
3. Fill in the contact details. The username will be saved as the identifier.

To link to an existing contact:

1. Open the conversation.
2. Click Link to existing.
3. Search for the existing contact and confirm.

Returning contacts opening a new conversation thread

If a customer you have previously messaged chooses to hide their phone number, their next message will open as a new conversation thread in Aircall Workspace. Your previous conversation history will remain in the original thread but will not be linked automatically, so agents will not see prior context in the new thread.

In Phase 2, you can use the Link to existing option described above to connect the new conversation to the existing contact record so your team can look up their history manually.

Note: Automatic conversation history linking for returning contacts is a limitation in the current version. It is planned for a future update.

Searching for contacts by username

You can search for username conversations that are already ongoing in Aircall, both by username (for example, @carlos_mx) and by the contact's WhatsApp profile name. If a username contact has previously messaged you, they will appear in your search results as normal.

It is not possible to search for contacts who have never messaged your business before. WhatsApp's Business platform does not allow businesses to look up users by username. This is a Meta privacy design decision; you can only receive messages from contacts who reach out to you directly.

Quick reference

FAQs

Do I need to change any settings?

No. This is handled automatically by Aircall. No admin configuration or setup is required.

Will my existing contacts and conversations be affected?

No. Contacts who do not hide their phone number are completely unaffected. Their conversations, history, and templates all continue to work exactly as before.

Can I call a username-only contact?

WhatsApp Voice is not currently available in Aircall for any WhatsApp contact, regardless of whether they have a username or a phone number.

For standard phone calls, a phone number is required. If a username-only contact has not shared their phone number, outbound calls are not possible from Aircall. If the contact does have a phone number visible, you can call them directly using that number as normal.

Why is the Authentication template category greyed out?

This is expected behaviour. Authentication templates cannot be sent to contacts who have hidden their phone number. This is a WhatsApp platform restriction. All other template categories remain available.

A familiar customer has appeared as a new conversation with a username. Why?

If a contact you previously spoke with has since hidden their phone number, their new messages arrive without a phone number and open as a new thread. Use Link to existing to connect the conversation to their contact record and give your team access to prior history.

Will these conversations appear in my CRM?

This depends on whether your CRM integration has been updated to receive the new WhatsApp username conversation events. Contact your admin or IT team to confirm your integration is ready.

Can I still send a follow-up message after the 24-hour window?

Yes. You can send Marketing or Utility templates to username-only contacts outside the 24-hour window, exactly as you would for any WhatsApp contact. Only Authentication templates are unavailable.