Element is for people who want private messaging without tying their account to a single company, as well as open-source communities and organizations that need control over their chat service. It uses Matrix, a decentralized network where accounts are hosted by independent servers that can communicate with one another. You can use a public server or connect to an organization’s server; running your own is optional.
For everyday conversations, direct messages and private rooms are end-to-end encrypted by default. Group chats support spaces, which help organize rooms, and threads for keeping side discussions separate from the main conversation. Rooms also support file sharing, while voice and video calls can be started with one person or a group.
Choosing a server and setting up an account
After installing the Windows app, sign in or create an account on matrix.org or another Matrix server. The server you choose hosts your account, but Matrix lets you communicate with people on other servers too. This setup can suit teams that want to operate their own service, while individuals can begin without managing server infrastructure.
Element runs on Windows 10 and Windows 11, as well as macOS, Linux, Android, iOS, and web browsers. If you are choosing a server before setting up Element, remember that an account on a public server is sufficient; you do not need to host your own.
Protecting access to encrypted conversations
Secure Backup is an important part of setup. Create a recovery key and store it safely, because losing access to that key can mean losing access to older encrypted messages when signing in on a new device. Encryption-key management can be confusing for first-time users, so it is worth completing this step while setting up the account rather than postponing it.
Encryption applies by default to direct messages and private rooms, but it also makes account recovery more consequential than a simple password reset. Keep the recovery key somewhere accessible to you and protected from others. This preparation helps when moving to another device without changing the privacy model of existing conversations.
Organizing communities and connecting services
Spaces group related rooms, making it easier to arrange conversations for a team, project, or community. Threads let participants follow a side discussion without making it the focus of the room. For broader communication needs, server-side bridges can connect Matrix rooms with other chat platforms, although configuring such bridges involves the server side rather than merely starting a conversation in the app.
Element’s source code is available under the GNU AGPL v3 or GPL v3, and a commercial license is also available. The app is free and open source; paid hosting and enterprise plans are offered for organizations. These options distinguish using the client from arranging managed or organization-focused services.
Practical trade-offs
Element’s decentralized design and self-hosting option provide more control over where accounts are based, but they also mean that a user’s experience depends partly on the chosen server. Large public rooms can be slow to load. People seeking the simplest possible messenger may also find the server choice and encryption recovery steps less straightforward, and fewer of their contacts may already be using Matrix.
For users comfortable with those setup choices, Element brings encrypted private conversations, organized group rooms, threads, file sharing, and calls into one Matrix client. The key practical decisions are which server to use and how to preserve the recovery key; after those are handled, the same account can be used to communicate across the wider Matrix network.
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