Element is a free, open-source messaging client built on the Matrix open standard. It combines end-to-end encrypted chat, group rooms, voice and video calls, and file sharing so teams and communities can communicate across servers they control.
Element is a desktop, web, and mobile messaging client that implements the Matrix protocol, an open standard for real-time communication, so conversations are not locked to a single company's network. You sign in to a Matrix homeserver of your choosing, invite contacts into direct chats or rooms, and everything from text messages to shared files is secured with end-to-end encryption by default. From there the client handles the everyday workflow: creating spaces that group related rooms, verifying devices so only trusted sessions can read history, placing voice and video calls, and sharing screenshots, documents, and links inline. Because rooms live on federated servers, individuals, communities, and organisations can talk to each other while each side keeps control of its own data.
Getting started takes a few minutes: install the client, pick a public homeserver such as matrix.org or enter your organisation's server address, then create an account or sign in with existing credentials. Element stores encryption keys locally, and the recovery key or passphrase you save during setup is what lets you read old messages on a new machine. Rooms can be public, invite-only, or private, and moderators control permissions down to who may post, invite, or change settings. Bridges connect Element to other chat networks, while widgets embed tools like polls, whiteboards, and video conferencing into a room. For offline copies of your own documents, pair it with a synchroniser such as SyncBackFree.
The main benefit of Element is that privacy is the default rather than an add-on. End-to-end encryption applies to messages, attachments, and calls, and because rooms are hosted on Matrix servers you choose, your history is not trapped inside a service you cannot inspect. Federation means you can talk to people on other Matrix deployments without asking them to switch apps, which suits open-source projects, universities, and public communities as well as companies running their own infrastructure. For administrators, self-hosting keeps data inside a controlled environment, while spaces, roles, and moderation tools make large member bases manageable. The client is available across platforms and syncs state, so a conversation started on a desktop continues on a phone. Voice and video calls, screen sharing, file transfer, and message search cover routine team work without extra subscriptions. It also interoperates with bridges and bots, so existing workflows and notifications can flow into the same rooms instead of fragmenting across another tool.
Every direct chat and room message is encrypted on your device before it leaves, and Element decrypts it locally for participants only. Attachments, reactions, and call signalling use the same protection, so shared files and conversation history stay private even when a homeserver is administered by someone else.
Spaces group related rooms into a single hierarchy, letting a team keep its general chat, project channels, and announcements in one place. Permissions can be set per space and per room, so guests see only what they should while staff retain full access.
Element handles one-to-one and group calls directly inside a room, with screen sharing available for meetings and walkthroughs. Calls are signalled through your homeserver and use the same identity and contact list as your chats, so starting a conversation does not require a separate conferencing account or a new link every time.
Element shows each session logged into your account and lets you verify devices by comparing emoji or codes with a trusted session. Unrecognised or lost devices can be revoked remotely, and a saved recovery key restores access to encrypted history on a replacement machine.
Because Element speaks the Matrix protocol, users on different homeservers can join the same rooms and exchange messages. Organisations can close their federation to trusted partners only, or open it publicly, which makes the client useful for both internal teams and community projects.
Bridges relay messages between Matrix rooms and other platforms, so colleagues on legacy chat tools appear alongside everyone else. Bots automate notifications and commands, while widgets embed calendars, polls, documents, and whiteboards directly in a room instead of forcing people to switch applications mid-conversation.
Desktop, web, and mobile clients share the same account state, so message history, read markers, and room membership follow you between machines. Full-text search across joined rooms and spaces makes it practical to recover a decision or a shared link long after the conversation ends.
Element connects to homeservers you or your IT team run, keeping message data, user directories, and backups under your own policy and jurisdiction. Combined with encryption and federation controls, this lets regulated and privacy-conscious organisations adopt modern chat without handing conversation records to a third party.
The Element clients are open source and can be used without paying for a licence. Paid plans exist for organisations that want managed hosting, support, or the server suite, so individuals can start with a free account on a public homeserver and move to a commercial plan only when they need enterprise services.
No. You can register on a public Matrix homeserver and begin chatting straight away. Running your own homeserver makes sense when you want to control where data is stored, retain full administrative access, or restrict federation to specific partner organisations.
Encryption is enabled for direct chats and private rooms, and content is encrypted on your device before it reaches the server, then decrypted locally for participants. Anyone who is a member of a room can read what is posted there, and some public rooms may be configured without encryption, so check room settings before sharing sensitive material.
You can sign in elsewhere and verify the new session, but reading older encrypted history requires the recovery key you saved during setup. Without it those earlier messages may stay unreadable, although new conversations keep working normally once the device is verified.
Bridges can connect Matrix rooms to services such as Slack, IRC, or Telegram and relay messages in both directions. Which bridges are available depends on what your homeserver operator runs, so ask your administrator before relying on a specific network.
Yes. Spaces, roles, moderation tools, and device verification support teams with many members, and self-hosted or managed deployments keep conversation data under organisational control. Administrators also get user management and policy options through the associated server suite.
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