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Element Call

MEETINGS
Velocity6.3

Open-source end-to-end encrypted group video calling built on Matrix

element.io/call ↗

Element Call is removing its legacy architecture — the federated multi-SFU model is now the only option.

federated-callingmatrix-rtcmulti-sfuarchitecture-cleanupperformance
◆Current state
Element Call has spent the last two months removing compatibility scaffolding: MatrixRTC legacy mode (v0.25.0) and .well-known transport discovery (v0.24.0) are both gone. Every participant now connects to their homeserver's SFU with no fallback to the old negotiated single-SFU model. React Compiler is enabled for rendering performance, and media quality settings got a dedicated UI in v0.24.0. The RC release cadence is high while stable releases remain patch-focused.
◆Where it's heading
The architecture is settled: federated multi-SFU, homeserver-anchored, no legacy bridges. The breaking changes are pruning maintenance surface rather than adding capability. The next period is likely refinement — call quality controls, edge-case stability, and mobile experience polish — within the established architecture. Element Call's trajectory is now governed by the Matrix ecosystem roadmap more than its own feature backlog.
◆Prediction
Stable releases catching up to the RC channel, with polish on the media quality controls from v0.24.0 and mobile layout improvements. Homeserver-level call routing policies are a plausible next capability now that the SFU model is uniform across all deployments.

◆Recent moves

  1. 7d ago

    v0.26.0-rc.2

    v0.26.0-rc.2 adjusts leave timing behavior when delegation is available — a narrow behavioral tweak in the RC channel. No net-new capability.

    View source ↗
  2. 9d ago

    v0.26.0-rc.1

    v0.26.0-rc.1 surfaces screen share failures that were previously silent, fixes the rageshake log flush, and adds developer logging for track events. Dependency bumps fill the rest. RC-level maintenance.

    View source ↗
  3. 18d ago

    Element Call v0.25.0 removes MatrixRTC legacy mode, requiring full multi-SFU migration

    ⚡ SPARK

    v0.25.0 removes MatrixRTC legacy mode entirely, completing the transition to mandatory multi-SFU federated calling that started in v0.21.0. Any instance still relying on the single-SFU fallback must now migrate — there is no compatibility bridge remaining.

    View source ↗
  4. 1mo ago

    Element Call v0.24.0: React Compiler enabled, media quality UI, legacy transport removed

    v0.24.0 removes .well-known transport discovery (another legacy mechanism), enables the React Compiler for render performance, and ships a configurable media quality settings UI. Three distinct improvements — architecture pruning, rendering perf, and UX — in a single release.

    View source ↗
  5. 1mo ago

    v0.23.0-rc.1

    v0.23.0-rc.1 adjusts mobile layouts for landscape calls and fixes a Safari video preview rendering issue. Incremental polish for mobile callers, nothing structurally new.

    View source ↗
  6. 2mo ago

    Element Call v0.22.0: Mobile call UI overhaul with gradient backgrounds as default

    v0.22.0-rc.2 overhauls voice and group call UI on mobile — gradient backgrounds now default even in widget mode, improved call layouts, and a design system refresh. A meaningful visual change that affects the default presentation for all embedded deployments.

    View source ↗