iOS 26.5 Brings End-to-End Encryption to iPhone-Android RCS Messages

[MacRumors]

End-to-end encryption (E2EE) for RCS messages between iPhone and Android devices is coming in iOS 26.5, Apple confirmed today. The feature is listed in Apple's iOS 26.5 release notes.

Apple says end-to-end encrypted RCS messaging remains in beta even though it is being released in iOS 26.5. The feature is available with supported carriers and will roll out over time, and for conversations to be encrypted, both the receiver and the sender must use a carrier that supports the latest version of RCS.

End-to-end encryption is on by default, and there is a toggle for it in the Messages section of the Settings app. Encrypted messages are denoted with a small lock symbol.

Testing of E2EE for RCS began in iOS 26.4, but Apple did not launch the feature in the iOS 26.4 update. It returned in the iOS 26.5 beta, and has been available throughout the beta testing process.

E2EE means that messages sent between devices cannot be intercepted and read by a third party. As of now, RCS‌ messages sent between Android and iPhone users do not have E2EE, but iOS 26.5, iPadOS 26.5, macOS Tahoe 26.5, and watchOS 26.5 will put Android/iPhone conversations on par with iPhone to iPhone conversations that are encrypted through iMessage.

Apple worked with the GSM Association to implement E2EE for RCS messages. E2EE is part of the RCS Universal Profile 3.0, published with Apple's help and built on the Messaging Layer Security protocol. ‌RCS‌ Universal Profile 3.0 also includes editing and deleting messages, cross-platform Tapback support, and replying to specific messages inline during cross-platform conversations.

Article Link: iOS 26.5 Brings End-to-End Encryption to iPhone-Android RCS Messages

 

[Wizec]

As far as I can tell, Visible doesn’t support RCS encryption yet.

 

[tyrnnsrs]

How can one tell which version of RCS their carrier supports?

 

[dkh587]

Interesting... no mention of anything else related to 3.0 or any other features... looks like they're only releasing E2EE from 3.0 as many suspected.

 

[goobot]

So what carriers currently support it and has android updated to support it already as well?

 

[dohspc]

Had to turn off that Beta feature for now. I kept getting too many message failures talking to Android friends.

 

[HouseLannister]

Now get started on undo send, edit, better quality media sharing (UP 3.1) and video conferencing via RCS (UP 4.0).

 

[bluecoast]

Looking forward to this being rolled out widely.

sms 2 factor codes being encrypted would be a major plus.

 

[Unregistered 4U]

Now get started on undo send, edit, better quality media sharing (UP 3.1) and video conferencing via RCS (UP 4.0).

That’s assuming that there’s a single carrier interested in supporting either of those for free.

 

[aroom]

That’s assuming that there’s a single carrier interested in supporting either of those for free.

My carrier doesn’t support RCS and I doubt that it will anytime soon

 

[Entilzha]

Do we know if this has been implemented in any android releases yet? Or is Apple ahead of the curve since they helped spearhead this official E2EE version in the first place?

Edit: I fully admit my ignorance on whether this has been implemented already on non-Apple devices! It would be nice if this was active today.

 

[Bevan]

For the first time ever I’m going to turn off automatic updates and not update my iPhone. Well done Apple. 🤡

 

[Unregistered 4U]

Looking forward to this being rolled out widely.

sms 2 factor codes being encrypted would be a major plus.

Carriers charge more to businesses to use RCS. It remains to be seen if any company wants to pay more to send 6 plain text numbers that’s not useful for any man-in-the-middle based attack.

 

[CocktailHour]

If I understand the situation correctly, and I'm not certain I do, we also need to know about the carrier's encryption on the Android site, is that correct? And if my friend on the other end has an old version of Android, would that be a factor, too?

 

[Boppi]

Carriers charge more to businesses to use RCS

That's not correct. How do you think that could work? I have a small business with an android business phone associated with a business line and I have RCS enabled on it as well as my other android phone. No extra charges ever.

RCS has been implemented in Android for several years now but it is carrier dependent and while Apple has been asked for those many years to get on board, only now have they decided to.

Any android can enable RCS, all the way back to 5.0, and I think Android is on version 16 now, so pretty much all android phones can enable/disable it.

Edit: A quick search came back with this:

As of 2026, all major US carriers—AT&T, T-Mobile, and Verizon—support RCS (Rich Communication Services) on both Android and iPhones running iOS 18+. Other supporters include US Cellular, Boost Mobile, Cricket Wireless, Metro by T-Mobile, Spectrum Mobile, Xfinity Mobile, and Visible, providing broad, industry-wide adoption.

 

[B4U]

Sadly, this iOS update will also bring along ads in the maps.
No thanks, Apple. Go pound sand.

 

[Reeneman]

For the first time ever I’m going to turn off automatic updates and not update my iPhone. Well done Apple. 🤡

LOL why? Because of the ads on Maps? This won’t go away anytime soon and you need to update your phone at some point with upcoming security flaws.

 

[iceman1000]

I unknowingly had this turned on with one of the last beta updates and went 1.5 weeks wondering why my Android friends had stopped talking to me. Turned it off, received 70+ messages at once.

 

[urungus]

The screenshot accompanying the article does not appear to show a padlock icon, so the conversion is NOT encrypted ? Strange choice of example.

 

[Err4OH4]

As far as I can tell, Visible doesn’t support RCS encryption yet.

Yes, Visible fully supports RCS encryption.

 

[Ct applefan]

LOL why? Because of the ads on Maps? This won’t go away anytime soon and you need to update your phone at some point with upcoming security flaws

Many of us have already deleted the maps app. Waze for the win.

 

[Wizec]

Yes, Visible fully supports RCS encryption.

Interesting, I saw a statement from them that said they don’t, but when I chatted with their service rep they said they do… it would be nice to know which of the other carriers do or don’t. I can’t seem to get it working with any major carrier from my phone using Visible.

 

[ifxf]

Many of us have already deleted the maps app. Waze for the win.

Providing your every movement to Google.

 

[Premium1]

For the first time ever I’m going to turn off automatic updates and not update my iPhone. Well done Apple. 🤡

So edgy of you...

 

[9640418]

Once they get edit and delete up and running, I will upgrade. I have family that use Google Messages and RCS was the only reason I upgraded to iOS 18 in the first place.