WhatsApp Tests Verified Instagram Link Feature for iPhone Users
WhatsApp — the messaging app owned by Meta — is developing a feature for iPhone users that allows them to add a verified link to their Instagram profile inside their WhatsApp account details. The test, visible in a recent iOS beta, aims to make cross-platform identity clearer and reduce accidental interactions with impersonators.
What the feature does
Once available, a user will be able to paste an Instagram profile URL into their WhatsApp profile fields. Contacts who are permitted to view the user’s profile under the existing privacy settings will be able to tap the link and go directly to the Instagram account. Importantly, the link will not be displayed automatically to everyone: WhatsApp honors the same audience controls users have for their profile (e.g., Everyone, My Contacts, or Selected Contacts).
To address the risk that someone could paste a URL that isn’t actually theirs, WhatsApp is building a verification flow. Verified links will receive a visible trust badge next to the URL, signalling to viewers that the Instagram account is genuinely associated with that WhatsApp user.
How verification works (optional Meta Account Center)
The verification process requires optionally linking the user’s WhatsApp account to Meta’s centralized Account Center — the same hub Meta uses to manage connections across Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp. By linking accounts through the Account Center, WhatsApp can validate ownership and display the verification badge. Meta Account Center also enables cross-app features such as single sign-on, shared avatar images, and consolidated account settings.
Meta emphasizes that linking to the Account Center will remain optional. Users who prefer not to connect accounts can still add an Instagram URL to their WhatsApp profile, but the link will appear without the verification mark and therefore without WhatsApp-confirmed proof of ownership.
Why WhatsApp is adding this
The feature addresses two practical issues: first, people frequently share usernames or profile links across apps to help contacts find them; second, malicious actors create lookalike accounts to impersonate real users. A verified link reduces friction for legitimate cross-platform discovery while adding a visual signal that helps users distinguish real accounts from fakes.
From a user-experience standpoint, the badge functions similarly to the verification ticks seen on other platforms — but here it specifically ties a WhatsApp profile to an Instagram identity rather than asserting broad public notability.
Privacy and safety considerations
WhatsApp’s approach keeps privacy controls intact: adding a verified link does not change who can see the profile information. Users who limit their profile to specific contacts are not forced to expose their Instagram link to a wider audience. Nevertheless, users should be mindful that linking profiles can make cross-platform tracking or contact discovery easier.
For safety, the verification process is intended to prevent simple spoofing, but it does not replace other