Element - Secure Messenger

3.4
5.68K reviews
1M+
Downloads
Content rating
Mature 17+
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About this app

Element is both a secure messenger and a productivity team collaboration app that is ideal for group chats while remote working. This chat app uses end-to-end encryption to provide powerful video conferencing, file sharing and voice calls.

Element’s features include:
- Advanced online communication tools
- Fully encrypted messages to allow safer corporate communication, even for remote workers
- Decentralized chat based on the Matrix open source framework
- File sharing securely with encrypted data while managing projects
- Video chats with Voice over IP and screen sharing
- Easy integration with your favourite online collaboration tools, project management tools, VoIP services and other team messaging apps

Element is completely different from other messaging and collaboration apps. It operates on Matrix, an open network for secure messaging and decentralized communication. It allows self-hosting to give users maximum ownership and control of their data and messages.

Privacy and encrypted messaging
Element protects you from unwanted ads, data mining and walled gardens. It also secures all your data, one-to-one video and voice communication through end-to-end encryption and cross-signed device verification.

Element gives you control over your privacy while allowing you to communicate securely with anyone on the Matrix network, or other business collaboration tools by integrating with apps such as Slack.

Element can be self-hosted
To allow more control of your sensitive data and conversations, Element can be self-hosted or you can choose any Matrix-based host - the standard for open source, decentralized communication. Element gives you privacy, security compliance and integration flexibility.

Own your data
You decide where to keep your data and messages. Without the risk of data mining or access from third parties.

Element puts you in control in different ways:
1. Get a free account on the matrix.org public server hosted by the Matrix developers, or choose from thousands of public servers hosted by volunteers
2. Self-host your account by running a server on your own IT infrastructure
3. Sign up for an account on a custom server by simply subscribing to the Element Matrix Services hosting platform

Open messaging and collaboration
You can chat with anyone on the Matrix network, whether they’re using Element, another Matrix app or even if they are using a different messaging app.

Super secure
Real end-to-end encryption (only those in the conversation can decrypt messages), and cross-signed device verification.

Complete communication and integration
Messaging, voice and video calls, file sharing, screen sharing and a whole bunch of integrations, bots and widgets. Build rooms, communities, stay in touch and get things done.

Pick up where you left off
Stay in touch wherever you are with fully synchronised message history across all your devices and on the web at https://app.element.io

Open source
Element Android is an open source project, hosted by GitHub. Please report bugs and/or contribute to its development at https://github.com/vector-im/element-android
Updated on
Feb 16, 2024

Data safety

Safety starts with understanding how developers collect and share your data. Data privacy and security practices may vary based on your use, region, and age. The developer provided this information and may update it over time.
This app may share these data types with third parties
Location, Messages and 7 others
This app may collect these data types
App activity, App info and performance, and Device or other IDs
Data is encrypted in transit
You can request that data be deleted

Ratings and reviews

3.4
5.46K reviews
Bennett Ramirez
February 14, 2024
Element/Riot has been dragging its feet for years. The app has basic issues such as: stuck unread notifications, apparently an unsolved core protocol issue; "mark as read" on messages not working; message edits completely erasing all formatting; canceling edits doesn't erase the message text box; app gets stuck asking for a verification from another device when you log in; can't search messages. Signal and Telegram are way more polished experiences for E2EE messaging.
27 people found this review helpful
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Samuel Morales
December 26, 2023
They seem to be improving the phone version of the app. When I first installed the phone apps on my two phones, I couldn't log in for some reason despite correct username & password. Another day, for a reason I don't know, I successfully logged in. I think they updated the app, which fixed it. I verified the second phone & got them both up & running. Improvements need to be in multi-user account environment; particularly verifying a device during its own setup.
17 people found this review helpful
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ブランドン
December 30, 2023
I like Element, I think it's a good app. Unfortunately I don't get notified a lot of the times (might be because I'm always out with mobile data) and not being notified was the reason I wanted to move away from Discord. I need to get notified for every message. I do like seeing when my messages get read though; that's a plus. Edit: think they fixed notification issue but I never pay attention. Not a big fan of disabling of biometrics and having to wait to reenable them
5 people found this review helpful
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What's new

Main changes in this version: Security release.
Full changelog: https://github.com/element-hq/element-android/releases