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# Setting up Element Call (optional)

The playbook can install and configure [Element Call](https://github.com/element-hq/element-call) and its supporting components that are part of the [Matrix RTC stack](configuring-playbook-matrix-rtc.md).

Element Call is a native Matrix video conferencing application developed by [Element](https://element.io), designed for secure, scalable, privacy-respecting, and decentralized video and voice calls over the Matrix protocol. Built on MatrixRTC ([MSC4143](https://github.com/matrix-org/matrix-spec-proposals/pull/4143)), it utilizes [MSC4195](https://github.com/hughns/matrix-spec-proposals/blob/hughns/matrixrtc-livekit/proposals/4195-matrixrtc-livekit.md) with [LiveKit Server](configuring-playbook-livekit-server.md) as its backend.

See the project's [documentation](https://github.com/element-hq/element-call) to learn more.

## Prerequisites

- A [Synapse](configuring-playbook-synapse.md) homeserver (see the warning below)
- The [Matrix RTC (Real-Time Communication) stack](configuring-playbook-matrix-rtc.md)
- A client compatible with Element Call. As of 2025-03-15, that's just [Element Web](configuring-playbook-client-element-web.md) and the Element X mobile clients (iOS and Android).

> [!WARNING]
>  Because Element Call [requires](https://github.com/element-hq/element-call/blob/93ae2aed9841e0b066d515c56bd4c122d2b591b2/docs/self-hosting.md#a-matrix-homeserver) a few experimental features in the Matrix protocol, it's **very likely that it only works with the Synapse homeserver**.

## Decide between Element Call vs just the Matrix RTC stack

All clients that can currently use Element Call (Element Web and Element X on mobile) already embed the Element Call frontend within them.
These **clients will use their own embedded Element Call frontend**, so **self-hosting the Element Call frontend by the playbook is largely unnecessary**.

💡 A reason you may wish to continue installing the Element Call frontend (despite Matrix clients not making use of it), is if you need to use it standalone - directly via a browser (without a Matrix client).

The playbook makes a distiction between enabling Element Call (`matrix_element_call_enabled`) and enabling the Matrix RTC Stack (`matrix_rtc_enabled`). Enabling Element Call automatically enables the Matrix RTC stack. Because installing the Element Call frontend is now unnecessary, **we recommend only installing the Matrix RTC stack, without the Element Call frontend**.

| Description / Variable | Element Call frontend | [LiveKit Server](configuring-playbook-livekit-server.md) | [LiveKit JWT Service](configuring-playbook-livekit-jwt-service.md) |
|------------------------|-----------------------|----------------|---------------------|
| Description | Static website that provides the Element Call UI (but often embedded by clients) | Scalable, multi-user conferencing solution based on WebRTC | A helper component that allows Element Call to integrate with LiveKit Server |
| Required for Element Call to function | No | Yes | Yes |
| `matrix_element_call_enabled` | ✅ Installed | ✅ Installed | ✅ Installed |
| `matrix_rtc_enabled` | ❌ Not Installed, but usually unnecessary | ✅ Installed | ✅ Installed |

All documentation below assumes that you've decided to install Element Call and not just the Matrix RTC stack.

## Decide on a domain and path

By default, the Element Call frontend is configured to be served on the `call.element.example.com` domain.

If you'd like to run Element Call on another hostname, see the [Adjusting the Element Call URL](#adjusting-the-element-call-url-optional) section below.

## Adjusting DNS records

By default, this playbook installs Element Call on the `call.element.` subdomain (`call.element.example.com`) and requires you to create a `CNAME` record for `call.element`, which targets `matrix.example.com`.

When setting these values, replace `example.com` with your own.

All dependency services for Element Call ([LiveKit Server](configuring-playbook-livekit-server.md) and [Livekit JWT Service](configuring-playbook-livekit-jwt-service.md)) are installed and configured automatically by the playbook. By default, these services are installed on subpaths on the `matrix.` domain (e.g. `/livekit-server`, `/livekit-jwt-service`), so no DNS record adjustments are required for them.

## Adjusting firewall rules

In addition to the HTTP/HTTPS ports (which you've already exposed as per the [prerequisites](prerequisites.md) document), you'll also need to open ports required by [LiveKit Server](configuring-playbook-livekit-server.md) as described in its own [Adjusting firewall rules](configuring-playbook-livekit-server.md#adjusting-firewall-rules) section.

## Adjusting the playbook configuration

Add the following configuration to your `inventory/host_vars/matrix.example.com/vars.yml` file:

```yaml
# Enable the Element Call frontend UI to allow standalone use of Element Call.
# Enabling this also auto-enables the Matrix RTC stack.
matrix_element_call_enabled: true
```

### Adjusting the Element Call URL (optional)

By tweaking the `matrix_element_call_hostname` variable, you can easily make the service available at a **different hostname** than the default one.

Example additional configuration for your `vars.yml` file:

```yaml
matrix_element_call_hostname: element-call.example.com
```

> [!WARNING]
> A `matrix_element_call_path_prefix` variable is also available and mean to let you configure a path prefix for the Element Call service, but [Element Call does not support running under a sub-path yet](https://github.com/element-hq/element-call/issues/3084).

## Installing

After configuring the playbook and potentially [adjusting your DNS records](#adjusting-dns-records) and [adjusting firewall rules](#adjusting-firewall-rules), run the playbook with [playbook tags](playbook-tags.md) as below:

<!-- NOTE: let this conservative command run (instead of install-all) to make it clear that failure of the command means something is clearly broken. -->
```sh
ansible-playbook -i inventory/hosts setup.yml --tags=setup-all,start
```

The shortcut commands with the [`just` program](just.md) are also available: `just install-all` or `just setup-all`

`just install-all` is useful for maintaining your setup quickly ([2x-5x faster](../CHANGELOG.md#2x-5x-performance-improvements-in-playbook-runtime) than `just setup-all`) when its components remain unchanged. If you adjust your `vars.yml` to remove other components, you'd need to run `just setup-all`, or these components will still remain installed. Note these shortcuts run the `ensure-matrix-users-created` tag too.

## Usage

Once installed, Element Call integrates seamlessly with Matrix clients like [Element Web](configuring-playbook-client-element-web.md) and Element X on mobile (iOS and Android).
