Deleting a user account - equiportion/equiportion GitHub Wiki

Matrix is an open standard for interoperable, decentralized, real-time communication over the internet. Users can create accounts on different homeservers to communicate via Matrix. Deleting a Matrix user account requires specific steps, considering the decentralized nature of the platform.

Prerequisites

  • Access to the homeserver where the user account was created.
  • Knowledge of the homeserver's interface or administrative tools.

Steps to Delete a Matrix User Account

1. Access the Homeserver

  • Open your preferred web browser.
  • Navigate to the homeserver where the Matrix user account was created. This may be a custom homeserver or a public one like matrix.org.
  • Alternatively, you can access app.element.io, log in there and look in the account settings for "Delete account"

2. Log In

  • Log in to the homeserver using the credentials associated with the Matrix user account you wish to delete.

3. Access Account Settings

  • Once logged in, locate the account settings section. This may vary depending on the homeserver's interface but is typically found under the user profile or settings menu.

4. Locate Deletion Options

  • Look for options related to account deletion or deactivation. This might be labeled as "Delete Account," "Deactivate Account," or something similar.

5. Confirm Deletion

  • Follow the prompts to confirm the deletion of the user account. You may be asked to provide additional verification or confirm your decision.

6. Verify Deletion

  • After confirming, the account deletion process will commence. Depending on the homeserver's policies and procedures, the deletion may be immediate or require a waiting period.

7. Confirmation Email (Optional)

  • Some homeservers may send a confirmation email to the registered email address associated with the Matrix user account. Follow any instructions provided in the email to complete the deletion process.

8. Verify Account Deletion

  • Log out of the homeserver and attempt to log in again using the credentials of the deleted user account. If the deletion was successful, you should receive an error indicating that the account does not exist.

Additional Considerations

  • Data Retention: Homeservers may have different policies regarding data retention. Deleting your account may not necessarily remove all data associated with it from the homeserver's database.
  • Third-Party Clients: If you use third-party Matrix clients, such as Riot.im, deleting your account on the homeserver will not automatically delete your data stored on those clients. You may need to log out or delete your data separately from these clients.
  • Backup Data: Before deleting your account, consider backing up any data or messages you wish to keep. Once the account is deleted, retrieving this data may be challenging or impossible.
  • Multiple Homeservers: If you have accounts on multiple homeservers, you will need to repeat this process for each homeserver where you wish to delete your user account.

Conclusion

Deleting a Matrix user account involves accessing the homeserver where the account was created and following specific steps to deactivate or delete the account. Users should be aware of the potential retention of data and consider backing up important information before proceeding with the deletion process.