Multi-account support in Settings

[matrixbot]

Created by @ matthew:matrix.org.

[giomfo]

Related to element-hq/element-ios#590

[MurzNN]

Maybe, at first, before this is not implemented - we can easily allow to run multiple application instances on one device with different config.json files? Or allow to clone or install application multiple times with different names.

[MurzNN]

As workaround, I install "App Cloner" application on Android and clone Riot app with different name, so now I can run several copies of Riot with different accounts, and they goes online together normally.

[ara4n]

This isn't really blocked on design - I think it would be fine to port over the design from Matrix Console.

[jooize]

How is the related Matrix Console design?

[krombel]

@jooize Matrix Console is an app that is deprecated but currently available in GooglePlay

[jooize]

I mean what is its specific design of the multi-account implementation that I think @ara4n referred to? What it looks like, in or other words.

[jtl999]

I downloaded Matrix Console and although I was unable to connect to my home server due to some errors (probably because too old), here's part of the UI.

[ghost]

See also #576

[xsteadfastx]

👍

[r4dh4l]

As mentioned in #576 (comment) :

In Riot desktop/web the account switch could be another vertical bar left of the community bar with profile picture icons indicating the added accounts.

[ludwigbald]

It should look & feel like multiple accounts in the Gmail app:

You can select a different account by clicking on its thumbnail or by swiping to the right in the thumbnails area. I've seen this behavior in a couple other Google apps. However, they seem to have changed to a simple drop-down menu in other apps like contacts.

I also get three distinct push-notifications, each of which contains all the notifications for the specific account.

Like with e-Mail, there are some reasons why people would end up with multiple accounts.

[lrvick]

The biggest blocker for me using Riot.im to communicate with most of my friends today, is I have a private instance my phone connects to for work. Having to choose to use riot only at work or only with friends is awful.

My phone is also running AOSP so I can't use the proprietary "work profile" feature. It would make me very happy if this feature was prioritized. Can we bounty this thing? :)

[MurzNN]

@lrvick, I have the same problem and also waiting this feature, but as workaround - I use App cloner to have two Riot apps with different logins, other variant is use https://matrix.org/docs/projects/client/mini-vector-android.html for second account.

[lrvick]

App Cloner is proprietary and could easily inject malware. I also can't find any open alternatives. Not seeing any workaround in my case short of hand compiling my own alternate-named APKs with every update.

[MurzNN]

Here is opensource apps that can clone:
https://f-droid.org/en/packages/net.typeblog.shelter/
https://island.oasisfeng.com/
Also you can use https://f-droid.org/en/packages/com.lavadip.miniVector/ for second account without using clone app. But build-in multi-account support will be much better! :)

[mirisbowring]

Any updates so far?
The design from gmail would be pretty nice, as @ludwigbald already mentioned.

But not only gmail is using this Frontend to support multiple accounts, see telegram.

[ptman]

riot-android will not get any new features, but riotX has an issue element-hq/element-android#26

[Vince4Git]

Here is opensource apps that can clone:
https://f-droid.org/en/packages/net.typeblog.shelter/
https://island.oasisfeng.com/
Also you can use https://f-droid.org/en/packages/com.lavadip.miniVector/ for second account without using clone app. But build-in multi-account support will be much better! :)

From my point of view, the workaround using two or more application instances is not good for mobile phone application. Riot.im is allready consuming batterie. I don't think to run multiple application is compatible with the idea to reduce the batterie consumsion.

[tredondo]

Wire supports multiple accounts.

[DraconicNEO]

Here is opensource apps that can clone:
https://f-droid.org/en/packages/net.typeblog.shelter/
https://island.oasisfeng.com/
Also you can use https://f-droid.org/en/packages/com.lavadip.miniVector/ for second account without using clone app. But build-in multi-account support will be much better! :)

From my point of view, the workaround using two or more application instances is not good for mobile phone application. Riot.im is allready consuming batterie. I don't think to run multiple application is compatible with the idea to reduce the batterie consumsion.

I agree, app cloning isn't a proper solution to this issue. A proper solution would be implementing multiple accounts into Element.