monocles chat icon

monocles chat

Arne-Brün Vogelsang
Messaging Push Voice & Video Chat Internet
Version
2.3.1
Size
44.9 MB
Requires
Android API 23+
4 / 5 · 4,720 ratings 8 downloads

Updated Sep 22, 2026

Quick answer

is a full-featured XMPP chat client

F-Droid repository metadata

monocles chat is a modern and secure XMPP chat client for Android. It is based on Conversations, includes features from blabber.im and Cheogram, and adds many changes and features of its own to improve usability and security. Connection security and the protection of personal data are very important to us. We enforce encrypted connections between the app and the server, which makes it almost impossible for strangers to intercept and read your messages. For this reason we removed outdated cipher suites. The remaining ones are tuned for the monocles chat server, but stay compatible with other XMPP servers that follow today’s standards. If that is not enough for you, you can use end-to-end message encryption such as OMEMO or OpenPGP. Messages are then encrypted on the sending device and can only be decrypted by the devices they are meant for. Features: * End-to-end encryption with OTR, OMEMO or OpenPGP * Experimental post-quantum end-to-end encryption (PQ OMEMO2) * Encrypted connections only, TLS 1.3 required by default * DNSSEC-verified server lookup and DANE certificate checks (can be enforced) * Protection against login downgrade attacks (channel binding, SCRAM downgrade protection) * Encrypted local database with an optional startup password * Send and receive images and other files * Send and receive locations * Send and receive voice messages * Message styling: bold, italic, strikethrough and code * Profile pictures (avatars) of your contacts * Synchronize message history with other clients * Group chats and channels * Address book integration (your address book is never shared with the server) * Audio and video calls * Very low battery consumption * Status messages * Daily backup of the database to local storage Need help? Join our support group chat [email protected].

Screenshots

monocles chat screenshot 1
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What’s new

* PQ OMEMO2 (optional), legacy OMEMO stays default
* QR codes carry both OMEMO keys
* Beta: Group calls
* New global search
* Multi-file messages and file captions
* New floating, edge-to-edge design
* Voice messages: background playback, two-tap sending
* Improved stories and blogs
* DNS over TLS setting and DANE fixes
* Fix lost attachments after updating from 2.1.x
* Many security hardening fixes
* Updated translations
* Fixes

How to install

  1. Download the APK from the button at the top of this page.
  2. Allow “Install unknown apps” for your browser or file manager only, not for every app.
  3. Open the downloaded file and confirm the installation.
  4. If installation fails with “App not installed,” remove an earlier build of the same app first. A signature conflict is the usual cause.

Data safety

  • Every file is checked against its published SHA-256 before it is listed.
  • Files are scanned for malware on every update.
  • The permissions each app requests are listed on its own page.
  • Read the full safety policy for how we test, flag, and delist files.

Frequently asked questions

What is monocles chat?
is a full-featured XMPP chat client
Who develops monocles chat?
monocles chat is developed by Arne-Brün Vogelsang.
Which Android version does monocles chat require?
monocles chat requires Android API 23 or later.
What is the current version of monocles chat?
The synchronized F-Droid version is 2.2.2.
Which license does monocles chat use?
The signed F-Droid metadata lists GPL-3.0-only.
Where is the source code for monocles chat?
https://codeberg.org/monocles/monocles_chat

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