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Delta Chat

COMMS
Velocity5.0

Decentralized, encrypted messenger that works over the email network.

DeltaChat Desktop steadily matures calls, accessibility, and its Chatmail-first shift

messagingdecentralizedemail-basedcallsaccessibilitychatmail
Current state
DeltaChat Desktop — the email-based, decentralized messenger — is in a consistent build-out phase. Recent releases add multi-message selection and keyboard accessibility, deepen the in-app calling feature, and continue removing legacy classic-email options in favor of Chatmail-style operation.
Where it's heading
Three threads run through the releases: maturing real-time calls (ringing tones, device selection), improving keyboard and focus accessibility, and simplifying the transport model toward Chatmail by retiring manual email-folder controls. The direction is a more app-like messenger that hides its email plumbing.
Prediction
Expect continued calls refinement, more accessibility work, and further pruning of classic-email configuration as Chatmail becomes the default path. No single release here signals a pivot — it is compounding polish.

Recent moves

  1. 20d ago

    Multi-message select and keyboard-accessibility improvements

    Adds multi-message selection, account-switch shortcuts, and a round of keyboard-focus accessibility fixes — UX maturation that makes the desktop client feel less like an email reader and more like a chat app.

    View source ↗
  2. 1mo ago

    Core library update (v2.52.0), no desktop changes

    A core-library-only bump with no desktop-side changes; effectively a passthrough release.

    View source ↗
  3. 1mo ago

    Drops legacy email-folder options; adds Mark as Unread

    Removes several legacy email-folder and server-deletion options (now handled by Chatmail servers) while adding Mark as Unread and inline notification replies — part of the Chatmail-first simplification.

    View source ↗
  4. 2mo ago

    Hotfix: prevent crashes on macOS

    A macOS crash hotfix; pure stability with no new functionality.

    View source ↗
  5. 2mo ago

    Leave & delete group; Electron 41 upgrade

    Adds leave-and-delete-group, upgrades Electron to 41, and refines send/delivery semantics — incremental feature and platform maintenance.

    View source ↗
  6. 3mo ago

    Channel descriptions, autostart, and 'Who can call me' setting

    Adds channel and group descriptions, app autostart, a 'Who can call me' calling control, clickable links in WebXDC mini-apps, and channel view counts — a broad feature release advancing both calls and the channels and mini-app surface.

    View source ↗