102 lines
5.6 KiB
Markdown
102 lines
5.6 KiB
Markdown
---
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title: "Element"
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category: "Communication"
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tagline: "Secure team chat, rooms, and calls, built on the open Matrix network."
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replaces: ["Slack", "Microsoft Teams chat", "Discord", "WhatsApp groups"]
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address: "element.example.com"
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website: "https://element.io/"
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upstreamDocs: "https://element.io/help"
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links:
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- name: "Element help center"
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url: "https://element.io/help"
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- name: "Download Element for desktop and mobile"
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url: "https://element.io/download"
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- name: "Matrix: how federation works"
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url: "https://matrix.org/docs/matrix-concepts/elements-of-matrix/"
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- name: "Bridges to Slack, Teams, and other networks"
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url: "https://matrix.org/ecosystem/bridges/"
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---
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## Overview
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Element is a chat app for teams. It connects to a **Matrix homeserver** running on your Federated Core server, so your messages are stored on your infrastructure. Matrix is an open standard: like email, people on your server can talk to people on other Matrix servers.
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Main capabilities:
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- **Rooms** for teams and topics, and **direct messages** for one-to-one or small group chats.
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- **Spaces** to group rooms, like Slack workspaces or Teams teams.
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- **Threads**, replies, reactions, mentions, message editing, and file sharing.
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- **End-to-end encryption** by default for direct messages and private rooms.
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- **Voice and video calls** in direct messages and rooms.
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- **Desktop and mobile apps** for Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, and Android.
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- **Federation** with other organizations on Matrix, and **bridges** to other chat networks where configured.
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### What it replaces
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Element replaces Slack, Microsoft Teams chat, and Discord for internal communication, and WhatsApp or Signal groups for working with partners, while keeping message history on your own server.
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## Signing in
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- **Web**: open your Element address and choose **Sign in**. Use your organization account; you may be sent to the Authelia portal.
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{{< screenshot src="element/sign-in.png" alt="The Element sign-in page with a Continue with Authelia button" caption="Element's sign-in page. Choose **Continue with Authelia** to use your organization account." >}}
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- **Apps**: install Element (or **Element X** on mobile) from [element.io/download](https://element.io/download). On the sign-in screen, choose **Edit** next to the server name and enter your homeserver, for example `example.com` or `matrix.example.com`, as shown in Superpanel.
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Your Matrix ID looks like `@yourname:example.com`. Share it with people on other servers so they can message you.
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## Set up encryption on your first sign-in
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Because messages are end-to-end encrypted, each device needs the keys to read them. Element walks you through this the first time:
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1. **Set up recovery** (also called Secure Backup). Element creates a **recovery key**. Save it in [Vaultwarden](/apps/vaultwarden/) or another safe place.
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2. When you sign in on another device, **verify** it from a device you're already signed in on, by comparing emoji or scanning a QR code, or enter your recovery key.
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{{< screenshot src="element/verify-device.png" alt="Element asking to confirm your digital identity, with Use another device and Can't confirm? buttons" caption="What a new device shows until you verify it." >}}
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{{< warning title="Keep your recovery key" >}}
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If you sign out of every device and lose your recovery key, you won't be able to read your old encrypted messages. Your administrator can't recover them for you.
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{{< /warning >}}
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## Everyday use
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### Join and create rooms
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- Select **+** next to **Rooms** (or in a space) to **create a room** or **explore public rooms** on your server.
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- Choose **private** (invite only, encrypted) or **public** (anyone on the server can find and join).
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- Invite colleagues by name or Matrix ID from the room's **Invite** button.
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### Organize with spaces
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Create a space for each department or project and add rooms to it. People who join a space can see and join its rooms. Spaces can contain other spaces.
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### Threads, mentions, and notifications
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- Hover over a message and choose **Reply in thread** to keep side conversations tidy.
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- Type `@` to mention someone. Use `@room` to notify everyone in a room (use sparingly).
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- Adjust notifications per room from the bell icon: all messages, mentions and keywords, or off.
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### Calls
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Start a voice or video call from the phone or camera icon in a direct message or room. Group calls in rooms may use [Jitsi](/apps/jitsi/) or Element Call, depending on how your server is set up.
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## Talk to other organizations
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Because Matrix is federated, you can start a direct message with someone on another Matrix server by entering their full Matrix ID, such as `@alex:partner.org`. Rooms can include people from several servers. Your administrator can restrict federation if your organization requires it.
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## Administer rooms
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Room admins can open **Room settings** to change the name, topic, and avatar; set who can join and who can see history; and change members' power levels (moderator, admin). To remove someone, use **Remove** or **Ban** from their profile in the member list.
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## Superpanel settings
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{{< review "confirm Superpanel option names for Element and Matrix." >}}
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- **Access**: choose which groups can sign in to the Matrix homeserver.
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- **Federation**: where offered, choose whether your server can talk to other Matrix servers.
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- **Registration**: accounts come from your directory, so self-registration is normally off.
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{{< enterprise >}}
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Enterprise customers can use the Synapse admin API from the server, for example to deactivate accounts, purge old room history, or inspect media usage. See the [Synapse admin API documentation](https://element-hq.github.io/synapse/latest/usage/administration/admin_api/).
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{{< /enterprise >}}
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