# Matrix About the matrix chat system, https://matrix.org. Last updated: 2026-04-22 ## What's the status of Matrix ? Element ? A quick way to catch up: go to the latest Matrix Conference videos, https://2025.matrix.org/watch , and watch "State of the Union" or "Element" talks. As a user you'll use matrix client software. There are [many clients](https://matrix.org/ecosystem/clients/), but the most popular and complete clients are made by Element.io, the company formed by the original Matrix developers. Currently they offer two: - **Element (classic)** - the original and still most featureful client. It has Android, IOS, Desktop and Web versions. (Desktop and Web are almost identical.) This is the one recommended for use on a computer. - **Element X** - the newer client with a modernised cross platform codebase. It has Android and IOS versions. (The IOS version can also run on ARM macs.) Element X has not yet caught up with Element's features, but it is faster and simpler. This is the one recommended for use on a phone (on IOS, at least). ## Why am I finding it confusing / hard to get started ? Matrix and the problems it solves are more complicated than they may seem. It's not just another chat app. It's cross-platform, multi-device, decentralised, end-to-end-encrypted rich chat, persistence, presence, notifications, one-to-one and group audio / video calls, screen sharing, secure identity management, discovery, moderation, at global scale, disrupting large competitors and nation-states, with many independent FOSS client and server implementations. The decentralisation and security aspects make everything else much harder. It has been developed over a long time by a small underfunded team. All this means that, as of 2026, just installing a matrix client may or may not be enough for you to figure it all out. Especially if you are coming from another chat system that works differently and uses words differently (coughDiscord). So, consider reading some docs as well. These are all good: - https://joinmatrix.org - https://matrix.org/docs/chat_basics/matrix-for-im - https://element.io/en/user-guide - https://docs.element.io/latest/element-support/understanding-your-element-accounts/ ## Why is sign in/out confusing ? It's different from most apps we are familiar with, because of the secure encryption goals. And it's hard to ensure a consistently good user experience while also meeting those goals. Here is my mental model, it may be not quite accurate yet: \[Update: it's outdated. Element X, and "Matrix 2.0" compliant clients, increasingly require verification as part of the login process, simplifying things. The consequences of "logging out" (deauthorizing) a client are still as described below.] For a particular matrix client on a particular machine, there are two levels of sign in (to your home matrix server). 1. Your server login (username and password) gets you to level 1 (unverified). Here you can see only unencrypted chats. (Or, that will be the case before long.) 2. Verifying with another client that you verified previously for this matrix account; or with a saved recovery key or passphrase; gets you to level 2 (verified). Here you can see your encrypted chats. At level 1, you may see a "Sign out" or "Log out" button. If you do this, you only need your server login to undo it. At level 2, Sign out is replaced by "Remove this device" (speaking of modern Element. Beware in case your client still shows a harmless-sounding Sign out or Log out). These mean: **"Deauthorize (unverify) this client (and if it can't be reverified, abandon these encrypted chats for ever)".** This is a more serious action that's harder to undo: - if you have another verified client or saved recovery key/passphrase for this account, and they are working as intended, they will let you re-verify this client. - if you don't have any of these, or they're not working, you won't be able to re-verify this client. Then your options will be: - leave it for ever at level 1 (unverified) - reset your cryptographic identity. You keep your server login (and matrix username), but you lose access to your old encrypted chats. You will be able to verify to level 2 and start new encrypted chats. - delete your matrix server account entirely, and lose your username and all your chat memberships. Notes and tips: - Level 1 (unverified) works like most apps, in that you can log in or out relatively easily. But this login is very sticky (your client holds a long-lived Access Token): normally you log in once and don't ever log out. - The goal is to get to level 2 and stay there. Level 2, also, is intended to be semi-permanent (your client sets up a long-lived Cross-Signed Session). Signing out of level 2 (Remove this device) is a big deal, something you normally don't do. ***One does not simply sign in to, or out of, Matrix.*** - So if you have multiple matrix accounts, don't think you can easily switch a client between them. Most clients don't support this yet. - When you create a matrix account, or reset your cryptographic identity, be sure to take the opportunity to generate and save the recovery key. (You might have the option to choose a more memorable security passphrase instead; they are equivalent.) - Save all details of your account(s): server, username, password, recovery key/security passphrase, and perhaps a note of where (on which devices/clients) you have verified this account. - Save these things securely, durably, and discoverably. You might have the option to save the recovery key/security passphrase to your home matrix server, trusting them rather than yourself to keep it available to you. - Every time you get a new phone or computer or use a new browser or a new matrix client, it starts at level 0 and must be logged in and verified to reach level 2. - How do you verify the very first client for an account ? There may be a special procedure for that one. ## How to verify my devices ? If you are using encrypted rooms/chats, and multiple devices (or clients), you will be asked to verify them to make them more secure. See: - [https://static.element.io/pdfs/element-user-guide.pdf](https://static.element.io/pdfs/element-user-guide.pdf) > pages 5-7 - https://docs.element.io/latest/element-support/device-verification/how-to-verify-devices To summarise, there are two ways: 1. **using another device** (or another client app on the same device) that you previously verified; or 2. **using a recovery key or security phrase** that you saved when creating the account. (This is not your account password.) If neither of those is possible, you can (as a last resort) - **reset your identity**. You will keep the same username and password account, but it will no longer be able to access your old message history. Save the new recovery key or security phrase for next time. But if things aren't working as expected, check these tips: - Have you tried a different version of Element ([Element Web](https://app.element.io), Element Desktop, Element IOS, Element Android, Element X IOS, Element X Android, or even Nightly/Testflight versions) - whichever you haven't been using ? Sometimes just a different app or app version might get you out of whatever bad loop you're stuck in. Some versions may have verification bugs; use latest versions for best chance of success. - You can try two apps on the same device, or on different devices. Probably the device you first created the account on is the most likely to succeed. - You could try over different networks just in case of firewalls or something blocking connection. - If you need to communicate urgently, you could create a new temporary account; the old one may be recoverable when you have more time. - An AI said: 1. Try verifying from Element Web instead of the Desktop app. Go to app.element.io in a browser on the Windows computer. Sometimes the desktop app has quirks that the web version doesn't. 2. Make sure both devices are on the same account and online simultaneously. The verification request can time out quickly — have both devices in hand, unlocked, with Element open on both. 3. If the emoji verification between devices keeps failing, use the Security Key directly: on the new session, when it asks to verify, choose "Use Security Key" (or "Use Recovery Key") instead of verifying with another device. Enter the key they saved. This bypasses the device-to-device dance entirely. 4. If that still doesn't work, they can reset their cross-signing identity from Security settings. This means re-verifying all sessions, but if they have the recovery key, their message history is preserved. 5. Check Element versions. Outdated versions of Element Android are known to have verification bugs. Update to the latest on both platforms before trying again. ## How to find matrix rooms ? ### Homeserver room directories Every matrix server has its own room directory, and some clients show it: - Element Web/Desktop: when the All Chats space is selected, there's an explore rooms button to the right of the search field at top of the room list. - Element IOS: when you click the lower right pencil icon, there's an Explore rooms option. - Element X: has no UI for this yet Element will show your local server's room directory by default. You can also add new servers, and browse their directories instead. matrix.org was historically where most matrix users started. In 2025 its room directory was severely restricted, to just Matrix-related rooms. In 2026, it is beginning to add other rooms again (slowly). - Discussion: https://matrix.to/#/#room-dir-wg-office:neko.dev - How to add rooms: https://matrix.org/homeserver/room-directory Some other big public matrix servers are: club1.fr, envs.net, etke.cc, tchncs.de, matrix.debian.social, mozilla.org, ubuntu.com, fsfe.org, gnome.org. You could add each of these to the room explorer. Or you could just add... ### matrixrooms.info https://matrixrooms.info is a super-directory, combining the room directories of most big public servers. You can add it to your client's room explorer, or you can search for rooms on its website, which also shows additional metadata. It is less curated than the room directories mentioned above, so use caution. - Discussion: https://matrix.to/#/#mrs:etke.cc - How to add it to your client: https://matrixrooms.info/integrations - How to add rooms: get them listed on one of the servers indexed by matrixrooms.info. ### Matrix Activity Tracker https://masland.tech/mat is another site indexing matrix servers and rooms, using a different method, and showing live activity stats. It provides a web UI and CSV data, but can't be added to Element's room explorer. - How to add rooms: get them listed by one of the known servers; or add them manually (you may need to use the room id) ### Web search You can search your favourite FOSS community's website, or the web, for "matrix chat" or "matrix room" links. Once you find a room address, you can join it in your client, eg by typing `/join #ROOM:ADD.RESS` from any other room, or by visiting `https://matrix.to/#/#ROOM:ADD.RESS` in your web browser. ### Matrix spaces Spaces in matrix are special rooms used to organise other rooms into groups and subgroups. When you find a matrix space, your client will show you all the rooms grouped within that space. (Not all clients have good support for spaces yet.) Here are some spaces: - https://matrix.to/#/#community:matrix.org matrix software and matrix development - https://matrix.to/#/#matrixunited-space:matrix.org hobbies and general topics - https://matrixrooms.info/search/space?order=-members,-_score a few more spaces