Jitsi Meet

What is Jitsi Meet?

Jitsi Meet is a desktop client for the Jitsi platform, a long-standing open-source video conferencing solution. It has been actively developed for years, with regular updates ensuring compatibility with modern web standards. The software is maintained by the Jitsi Team and community, making it a stable choice for users who prefer transparent, auditable code over proprietary black boxes. It handles both audio and video streams efficiently, adapting to your hardware and network conditions without requiring complex configuration.

This tool is ideal for individuals, small teams, or organizations that need reliable video calls without the overhead of corporate accounts. It suits users who value privacy and want to avoid data collection associated with mainstream platforms. If you are comfortable managing your own server or using a trusted public instance, Jitsi Meet offers a straightforward way to connect with colleagues, family, or friends. It is particularly useful for those who want to keep their communication infrastructure under their own control.

Compared to Discord, Jitsi Meet is strictly a conferencing tool, lacking the persistent chat, voice channels, and social features Discord provides. It feels more like a professional meeting tool than a social hangout. The interface is clean and focused on the call itself, with fewer distractions. However, you lose the convenience of always-on voice channels and integrated text chat, so you might need a separate application for those specific needs.

Best for: Users who need secure, account-free video conferencing and are willing to use a separate app for persistent chat or voice channels.

Key features of Jitsi Meet

• Connects to any Jitsi deployment, including self-hosted servers
• No account required to join or host conferences
• Supports end-to-end encryption for enhanced security
• High-quality audio and video via Opus, VP8, VP9, and AV1
• Password-protected rooms for private meetings
• Web browser compatibility allows participants to join without installing software
• Custom URL support for easy-to-remember meeting links
• Unlimited participants, limited only by server resources

Tips for Windows users

Coming from Discord, expect a significant shift in workflow. Jitsi Meet does not store chat history or maintain persistent voice channels; it is strictly for active calls. You will need to share a URL to start a meeting, rather than clicking a channel name. For ongoing communication, pair Jitsi Meet with a chat client like Element or Matrix, or a traditional email client. There are no file format issues since it does not store local media, but note that you cannot 'drop in' to a voice channel; you must initiate or join a specific conference link.

Recent releases

• 2026.8.0 — August 4, 2026
• 2026.7.0 — July 11, 2026
• 2026.6.0 — May 31, 2026
• 2026.5.0 — May 11, 2026