Element Classic
Element Classic is a free, open-source messaging app for Android. Previous generation Element. It has 3,731 GitHub stars and is released under the AGPL-3.0-or-later license, and you can install it from F-Droid and Google Play.
- Official
- Android
- Kotlin
- Messaging & chat
- Actively maintained
About Element Classic
Element Classic is the previous-generation of Element mobile app. Friends, family and communities should use the free and open source Element X app which is faster, easier to use, and more powerful. New users of public sector organisations, enterprises and professional teams users should use the Element Pro app that is built for work and organisations. Element Classic is available at least until the end of 2025 and will receive critical security updates but no further enhancements or new features.
Privacy and F-Droid
F-Droid builds Element Classic from its published source code and flags anti-features such as ads, tracking or reliance on non-free services.
- Relies on a non-free network service
Screenshots
Screenshots from the app's F-Droid listing.
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What is Element Classic?
Element Classic is a free, open-source messaging app for Android. Previous generation Element. It has 3,731 GitHub stars and is released under the AGPL-3.0-or-later license, and you can install it from F-Droid and Google Play.
Is Element Classic free and open source?
Yes. Element Classic's source code is public on GitHub under the AGPL-3.0-or-later license, which is OSI-approved or FSF-free. F-Droid flags these anti-features on its latest build: relies on a non-free network service.
How do I install Element Classic?
You can install Element Classic from F-Droid (package im.vector.app) and from Google Play; the links are on this page. Its GitHub repository also publishes releases (latest: v1.6.66).
Is Element Classic still maintained?
The repository's most recent commit was on Sep 25, 2026. Its F-Droid listing was last updated on Jul 29, 2026. appsgit only lists apps whose repository had a commit in the last six months.