Connect to Matrix with Element¶

There are several ways in which you can use Element. In all cases:

• Log in using: @username:phys.ethz.ch
• Where username is your D-PHYS account
• Use your D-PHYS password

Note: All Matrix clients should automatically discover the correct homeserver, which is phys.ethz.ch. The direct server URL is https://matrix.phys.ethz.ch.

See Set up encryption for the next steps after you connect to an end-to-end encrypted room for the first time.

Web app¶

The easiest way to use Element is to point your (modern) web browser (last 2 major versions of Chrome, Firefox, and Safari on desktop OSes) to element.phys.ethz.ch.

Note: The web app does not support searching in encrypted rooms, use the desktop app instead.

Optionally you can configure your app using our settings.

Mobile app¶

Get Element from Google Play or App Store:

See also Connect with Element Android.

Desktop app¶

There is a standalone desktop app for Windows, macOS and Linux.

We ship it pre-installed on our managed Linux and Windows workstations. On macOS you can install the app yourself (no admin rights needed).

Labs¶

Element has some experimental features called 'Labs', which are for advanced users and developers. By default these features are hidden. When enabled, they will appear in Settings > Labs.

Warning: These features may break or get removed at any time without notice! Use at your own risk.

A Labs enabled Element Web instance can be used at labs-element.phys.ethz.ch. Alternatively you can configure your desktop app using our labs settings.

The following configuration snippet enables the labs features menu item:

{
    "show_labs_settings": true
}

Maths support¶

One of these features is 'Render LaTeX maths in messages', which uses KaTeX (LaTeX subset) under the hood. To write LaTeX use the $ character as delimiter: Inline-math is wrapped in single-$'s and blocks in double-$'s.

This feature is enabled by default in all D-PHYS Element installations.

On self-managed Element Desktop installations you have two options to enable it:

• Use the D-PHYS Element Labs configuration (see above) and turn the feature on manually in Settings > Labs
• Use the D-PHYS Element configuration, which has that feature enabled only.

The following configuration snippet force-enables the labs feature:

{
    "features": {
        "feature_latex_maths": true
    }
}