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Unfortunately, WhatsApp will not let you use it without handing them all of your contacts. I wanted to remain in contact with a friend that had moved overseas,
by paranoidrobot 2y ago
Unfortunately, WhatsApp will not let you use it without handing them all of your contacts.
I wanted to remain in contact with a friend that had moved overseas, so local texting/calling was no longer an option. They use iMessage and WhatsApp, and I don't have an iPhone.
I can't add them as a contact, I can't get messages from them, I can't send messages to them - nothing, unless I hand over all of my contacts.
- na4ma4 2y agoOn Android I just rejected access to contacts. Then to add a contact enter their phone number specifically and it works for me.
- paranoidrobot 2y agoI reinstalled the app just now to re-check. Click the green 'Add chat' icon. It prompts: "To help you connect with friends and family, allow WhatsApp access to your contacts" with options for Not now, and Continue. Not Now closes the dialogue, and returns you to the main chat list. Continue launches the Android prompt for "Allow WhatsApp to your contacts", clicking Don't Allow returns you to the main chat list. So, unless there's something else you need to do... e: Make a Call works the same way. I can create a community and a group chat in that, and even send messages to the group. I can't add anyone to the group though, same "Give us your contacts" thing.
- na4ma4 2y agoI blocked whatsapp from contacts, so it doesn't popup the prompt anymore, but I don't even get the "to help you connect ..." prompt either. when I go to the green "add chat" icon, I just get a list with my whatsapp contacts (not system contacts) and if I add a phone number I can talk to them directly (and/or add them to the whatsapp contacts instead of system contacts). WhatsApp Messenger Version 2.24.24.77
- paranoidrobot 2y agoMaybe if you already have some contacts it will let you see your contacts list and add them manually. But I have none, and so it doesn't. I don't know the version number, but my check above was from the version on Google Play store. The attempt I initially made was several months ago.
- switch007 2y agoGrapheneos let's you trick apps into thinking they have all your contacts but you actually give them a sub list ("contact scopes")
- frizlab 2y agoThat is not actually true, on iOS at least. They will bug you to do it, but you can use whatsapp w/o giving access to your contacts.
- paranoidrobot 2y agoUnfortunately not on Android.
- frizlab 2y agoOne of the perks of the AppStore review I guess: it is not allowed to have the app not work if the contacts permission is not granted IIRC :)