Issues with Matrix account migrations

README.md

Issues with Matrix account migrations

As of Feburary 2024, Matrix does not have Account Portability which may resolve some of these issues.

Best-effort migration

1. Log into the old and new account.
2. Where possible, use the old account to invite the new account into all joined rooms.
3. Where possible, use the old account to set the new account's power level.
4. Export the E2E room keys from the old account and import them in the new account.

Downsides

• There's no standardized way of signaling a migration to others. Their clients will still suggest to start a DM with your old account.
• Lose history in rooms with the room history set to "since the time a member joined"
• Lose all verifications of other accounts.
• All other people lose having you verified
• Lose historical rooms
• When changing your account in a DM room, the clients from your DM contacts still think it's a DM room with the old account
• Lose ability to edit and redact your former messages
• You don't get notification replies to your old messages
• You lose unread markers and notification counters

When changing homeserver

• Media URLs still point to the original homeserver
• Lose rooms which are restricted to not federate