> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.robbu.global/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Claiming the username

> Step-by-step guide to claim the username (@) for your WhatsApp Business API numbers through the WhatsApp Manager.

# Claiming the username

The **username** is the public `@name` of your official WhatsApp Business line. It is a new way for customers to reach you **without needing your phone number** — the number is still displayed on your profile.

This guide shows how to claim the username directly in the **WhatsApp Manager**, using the administrator account of your business portfolio (Business Manager) on Meta.

<Info>
  The same operation can be done through the **Positus API**, including reading, setting, deleting and getting username suggestions. See [Official line username](/en/positus/integration/line-username).
</Info>

## Prerequisites

* Access to the Facebook account with a **BM administrator user** (business portfolio on Meta).
* The WhatsApp Business API number already active inside the WhatsApp account (WABA).

## Step by step

<Steps>
  <Step title="Access the business portfolio">
    Log in to Facebook with the **BM administrator user** (business portfolio on Meta).
  </Step>

  <Step title="Open the WhatsApp Accounts menu">
    Access the **WHATSAPP ACCOUNTS** menu through this link: [business.facebook.com/latest/settings/whatsapp\_account](https://business.facebook.com/latest/settings/whatsapp_account)
  </Step>

  <Step title="Open the WhatsApp Manager">
    Click on the WhatsApp account that holds the number and then on **WHATSAPP MANAGER**.

    <Frame caption="WhatsApp Manager button on the WhatsApp account screen">
      <img src="https://mintcdn.com/robbu/3e4bfLiNwxzpjrBk/images/positus/primeiros-passos/gerenciador-do-whatsapp.png?fit=max&auto=format&n=3e4bfLiNwxzpjrBk&q=85&s=23ad0f3a3d7e8878fb9b3436405bcd92" width="858" height="744" data-path="images/positus/primeiros-passos/gerenciador-do-whatsapp.png" />
    </Frame>
  </Step>

  <Step title="Create the username">
    Click on the desired number, open the **PROFILE** tab and, under **Username**, click **CREATE**.

    <Frame caption="Profile tab of the number with the Create option under Username">
      <img src="https://mintcdn.com/robbu/3e4bfLiNwxzpjrBk/images/positus/primeiros-passos/nome-de-usuario-perfil-criar.png?fit=max&auto=format&n=3e4bfLiNwxzpjrBk&q=85&s=0111c46ea8be2154e4716047be4431e9" width="1206" height="507" data-path="images/positus/primeiros-passos/nome-de-usuario-perfil-criar.png" />
    </Frame>
  </Step>

  <Step title="Fill in and save">
    Type the desired name and click **SAVE**. Meta also displays **suggestions** of available names.

    <Frame caption="Username creation window with suggestions and the Save button">
      <img src="https://mintcdn.com/robbu/3e4bfLiNwxzpjrBk/images/positus/primeiros-passos/nome-de-usuario-modal-salvar.png?fit=max&auto=format&n=3e4bfLiNwxzpjrBk&q=85&s=8ce67c346f409e40328bfe71e298f579" width="683" height="391" data-path="images/positus/primeiros-passos/nome-de-usuario-modal-salvar.png" />
    </Frame>
  </Step>
</Steps>

## Important notes

<Warning>
  * Each number can have **only one** username.
  * It is **not possible** to have more than one number with the same username.
</Warning>

## Username format

Business usernames must follow the format below:

* May contain only English alphabet letters (`a-z`), digits (`0-9`), period (`.`) and underscore (`_`);
* Characters that are not English alphabet letters (such as `ñ`, `é`, `ü`) are not supported and will cause the request to fail;
* Must be between **3 and 35 characters**;
* Must contain at least one English alphabet letter (`a-z`, `A-Z`);
* Cannot start or end with a period, nor contain two consecutive periods (`..`);
* Cannot start with `www`;
* Cannot end with a domain (for example `.com`, `.org`, `.net`, `.int`, `.edu`, `.gov`, `.mil`, `.us`, `.in`, `.html` and so on);
* Usernames are compared case-insensitively.

## After saving

Username propagation is **asynchronous**. Meta may first **reserve** (`reserved`) the name and only then promote it to **approved** (`approved`), when it becomes visible to customers on WhatsApp.

<Tip>
  Positus notifies your webhook on every username status change — including changes made through the WhatsApp Manager, as in this guide. The event is `business_username_update`; see [Line username update](/en/positus/integration/webhook#business-username-update).
</Tip>

## Common issues

| Situation                                                   | What to do                                                           |
| ----------------------------------------------------------- | -------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| The username is already taken or unavailable                | Choose another name or use one of the suggestions displayed by Meta. |
| The account does not meet the messaging limit requirements  | Increase the number's messaging limit before reserving a username.   |
| A Facebook Page or Instagram account already uses that name | Link the Page or the Instagram account to the number and try again.  |
| The request fails due to invalid format                     | Review the rules in [Username format](#username-format).             |

<Info>
  The full list of error codes returned by Meta is available in [Official line username — Error handling](/en/positus/integration/line-username#errors).
</Info>