I didn’t want to install every individual messaging app on my Mudita Kompakt, making Beeper the ideal solution to keep everything in one place.
However, because the official Beeper app relies on Google Play Services (Firebase Cloud Messaging), notifications don’t work out of the box on the Kompakt.
After spending some time experimenting, I finally figured out a workaround to get Beeper running with real-time push notifications, and I wanted to share it with the community here!
Because Beeper is built on Matrix — an open-standard, decentralized communication protocol — you can access your Beeper account using alternative Matrix clients.
Prerequisites:
- Custom Launcher: You must install a third-party launcher that supports notifications (e.g. inkOS).
- Beeper Cloud Setup: Your messaging accounts (WhatsApp, Signal, etc.) must be linked as Beeper Cloud accounts. Local bridges/accounts will not work.
- Secondary Device: You should have a Beeper client logged in on another device for easy setup and device verification.
- (Alternative option: You could host your own Matrix server or use a paid managed Matrix host instead of Beeper’s infrastructure.)
1. Install Element Classic
Element Classic is a Matrix-based messaging app that can connect to any Matrix server instance.
- Note: Do not install the newer Element X app, as it will not work for this setup.
- Download and install Element Classic from F-Droid.
- (Other Matrix clients like SchildiChat Legacy or FluffyChat may also work, but this guide focuses on Element Classic.)
2. Install ntfy
To receive real-time notifications without Google Play Services, you need a UnifiedPush distributor:
- Download and install ntfy from F-Droid. This app handles push notifications in the background.
- Open ntfy after installation and tap Fix now to exclude it from battery optimization.
3. Configure Element Classic
- Open Element Classic and tap Sign in.
- Tap Edit next to the server address and enter
matrix.beeper.com. - If you don’t have a Beeper password yet, tap Forgot Password? and follow the prompts to create one.
- Enter your username in the format
@username:beeper.com. - Enter your password and log in.
- When prompted, choose ntfy as your background sync service.
- Your chats should now begin loading.
- To decrypt your messages, you must verify your session: tap Verify now, then choose Verify with other device.
- Open the Beeper app on your primary/other device and approve the verification request.
Once verified, tap any chat to decrypt your messages. You’ll now receive push notifications via ntfy!
I haven’t figured out how to make the device vibrate for notifications yet, but at least you can now see when you have received new messages on your home screen.
Cheers!