Apple has started rolling out encrypted RCS messaging to iPhones with the latest iOS 26.5 update. The new feature is part of a joint effort between Apple and Google to make messaging between Android phones and iPhones more private and secure. With this update, users sending RCS messages between supported Android and iPhone devices will now get end-to-end encryption. This means messages can only be read by the sender and the person receiving them. No one else, including Apple and Google, can access the content.
The feature is currently available in beta for iPhone users running iOS 26.5 with supported carriers. Android users will also need the latest version of Google Messages to use encrypted RCS chats. Apple says encryption will be enabled automatically over time for both new and existing RCS conversations.
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Users will notice a new lock icon inside RCS chats. This icon confirms that the conversation is protected with end-to-end encryption. The feature is turned on by default, so users do not need to manually enable it.
‘iMessage was built with privacy in mind and has always been end-to-end encrypted. It remains the best way to communicate between Apple devices,’ Apple said.
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RCS, short for Rich Communication Services, is a modern messaging standard designed to replace the older SMS system. Unlike SMS, RCS supports features like high-quality photos and videos, typing indicators, read receipts, reactions and improved group chats.
RCS itself is not a separate messaging app. Instead, it is a communication technology that works through supported messaging apps and carriers. For RCS to work properly, both the sender and receiver need compatible devices and apps.
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