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It doesn't really need them actually if you use it through the bridge. Using that you can start a new message just by number.

Even with the app itself you can deny access to contacts after installing and it works fine, just all the names are replaced by numbers. The only problem then is that you can't start a new chat. But through the bridge it works, already tried.

FWIW If you know the number, you can use the web URL ws.me/<phone_number_with_country_code> to initiate a chat even if the contact is not saved/without granting contact access

> I'm afraid WhatsApp needs them.

There's an app on F-Droid that lets you start a chat in WhatsApp with just a number, without giving WhatsApp access to the phone contacts.

Can you login to your google account for the contacts. But then its far less private, of course.