Apple today confirmed that in the upcoming iOS 26.5, messages sent through the RCS standard between iPhone and Android devices will officially support end-to-end encryption (E2EE). Relevant instructions have appeared in the iOS 26.5 update notes released by Apple. This means that cross-platform messaging will be on par with iMessage in terms of security, further improving users’ privacy when communicating between different ecosystems.
Apple said that end-to-end encrypted RCS messages will still be marked as a beta feature in iOS 26.5, but will gradually be opened to supported operators as the version is released. To achieve encrypted communication, both parties to the conversation must use a carrier network that supports the latest RCS version, otherwise the message will not be protected by end-to-end encryption. This feature is currently only available in some operator environments, and coverage will be expanded in phases.
According to the introduction, RCS end-to-end encryption is turned on by default, and users do not need to manually enable it. In the system's "Settings" application, the information setting page provides the switch option for this function to facilitate users to manage it as needed. Encrypted messages will be marked with a small lock icon in the interface to help users intuitively determine whether the current session is encrypted.
Apple began trial-running end-to-end encryption of RCS messages as early as the iOS 26.4 testing phase, but this feature was not launched with the official version of iOS 26.4. Later, end-to-end encryption reappeared in the iOS 26.5 beta and will remain throughout the testing cycle. With the release of iOS 26.5, iPadOS 26.5, macOS Tahoe 26.5, and watchOS 26.5, the security level of RCS conversations between iPhone and Android will become consistent with encrypted communication between iPhones through iMessage.
End-to-end encryption means that the message content is encrypted at the sending end and only decrypted at the receiving end. Third parties on the transmission path (including service providers) cannot interpret the message content, thus effectively preventing interception and eavesdropping. In the current environment, unencrypted RCS messages still pose potential privacy risks when communicated across platforms, and the addition of iOS 26.5 will significantly improve this situation.
Apple this time cooperates with the GSM Association to introduce an end-to-end encryption mechanism for RCS messages. E2EE capabilities are incorporated into the RCS Universal Profile 3.0 specification, which was developed with the participation of Apple and implemented based on the Messaging Layer Security (MLS) protocol. In addition to security upgrades, RCS Universal Profile 3.0 also introduces the ability to edit and delete messages, support for cross-platform Tapback emoticon feedback, and inline replies to specific messages in cross-platform conversations. Together, these improvements will push the messaging experience between iPhone and Android closer to a unified and modern instant messaging standard.