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

Source: MacRumors

End‑to‑end encryption for RCS messages lands in iOS 26.5

Apple confirmed that end‑to‑end encryption (E2EE) for RCS messages between iPhone and Android devices will be included in iOS 26.5. The feature is listed in Apple’s iOS 26.5 release notes.

Feature overview

• E2EE for RCS messaging is still in beta, even though it ships with iOS 26.5.
• The encryption works only when both participants use carriers that support the latest RCS version.
• Encryption is enabled by default, with a toggle available in Settings → Messages.
• Encrypted messages display a small lock icon.

Availability and rollout

• The feature is tied to supported carriers and will roll out gradually.
• It is available across iOS 26.5, iPadOS 26.5, macOS Tahoe 26.5, and watchOS 26.5.
• Once active, Android‑to‑iPhone conversations will have the same encryption level as iPhone‑to‑iPhone iMessage chats.

Testing history

• iOS 26.4: Initial testing of E2EE for RCS began (details), but the feature was not released.
• iOS 26.5 beta: The encryption returned and remained available throughout beta testing (announcement).

Impact and compatibility

• E2EE ensures that messages cannot be intercepted or read by third parties.
• Prior to this update, RCS messages between Android and iPhone lacked encryption.
• With iOS 26.5 (and the corresponding updates for iPadOS, macOS, and watchOS), cross‑platform chats are now on par with iMessage’s encrypted conversations.

Technical details

• Apple collaborated with the GSM Association to bring E2EE to RCS.
• The encryption is part of RCS Universal Profile 3.0, which Apple helped publish.
• RCS Universal Profile 3.0 is built on the Messaging Layer Security (MLS) protocol and also adds features such as:
  • Editing and deleting messages
  • Cross‑platform Tapback support
  • Inline replies to specific messages in mixed‑platform conversations