Element Web and Desktop add redesigned room list with new filters & clearer notifications

Element Web and Desktop have received a major interface update with a redesigned room list inspired by the Element X mobile app. The new design unifies the look across platforms, focusing on speed, accessibility, and simpler navigation.

The update introduces new filters such as Unreads, People, Rooms and Favourites that replace previous room categories and remove duplicated meta spaces. This makes filters the main navigation method and aligns the workflow with Element X. Notification indicators have also been refreshed, letting users quickly identify unread counts, mentions, muted activity and ongoing calls. Enterprise accounts on Element Pro gain theme level color customization for notification badges.

The release also includes accessibility improvements for keyboard navigation, zoom and screen readers, meeting WCAG AA standards. On the technical side, early adoption of the Model View ViewModel architecture and experiments with Sliding Sync aim to improve reliability and reduce load times, while additional Labs features remain in testing.