After months of development, end-to-end encrypted RCS messaging has finally arrived on iOS, allowing Android and iPhone users to benefit from enhanced security across platforms when texting.
Apple continues to make progress on its end-to-end encrypted (E2EE) RCS messaging, after a few months of testing on iOS 26.4 developer beta builds. It now appears that the feature is ready for wider public testing.
On Monday, Apple announced that E2EE RCS messaging would roll out to iPhone users running iOS 26.5 with a supported carrier, and to Android users using the latest version of Google Messages. This means that, provided the aforementioned criteria are met, RCS messages cannot be read when sent between devices.
Users will see a new lock icon in RCS chats when a message is encrypted. Apple has included a list of participating carriers on a support page.
Apple notes that this is still technically a beta test of the feature and will likely roll out in stages. Encryption will be automatically enabled over time for new and existing RCS conversations.
Apple began testing E2EE RCS messaging in the first iOS 26.4 developer beta in mid-February. Testing was very limited, as it was aimed exclusively at iPhone users with iMessage disabled.
Fortunately, about a week later, Apple rolled out the second iOS 26.4 developer beta, allowing Android and iPhones to exchange fully encrypted RCS messages for the first time.
Apple initially announced that it would offer end-to-end encryption for RCS messaging on iOS in March 2025.
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