Apple Adds End-to-End Encryption for RCS Messaging Between iPhone and Android in iOS

[harlan4096]

Apple has announced that end-to-end encryption for RCS messaging between iPhone and Android devices will be included in iOS 26.5. The feature has been in testing since the beta of iOS 26.4 and is currently available in the release candidate of iOS 26.5. This release candidate is the version Apple plans to release publicly, assuming no last-minute issues arise.

For end-to-end encryption to work in cross-platform RCS conversations, both devices need to meet certain requirements. The iPhone must be running iOS 26.5 or later, and the Android device needs the latest version of Google Messages.

Why End-to-End Encryption for iPhone and Android RCS Matters

RCS has replaced SMS as the default messaging protocol for iPhone-to-Android conversations since Apple added support for it. The update introduced features such as high-quality media sharing, typing indicators, and functioning group chats. The main remaining issue was the lack of end-to-end encryption.

Without E2EE, messages sent between iPhone and Android over RCS are not encrypted, unlike iMessage chats between iPhones or Google Messages conversations on Android. Google Messages shows a small lock icon to indicate when E2EE is active. Once both devices meet the software requirements, this icon will also appear in iPhone-to-Android RCS conversations.

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