Apple rolled out iOS 26.5 and iPadOS 26.5 on May 11, adding beta end-to-end encrypted RCS messaging between iPhone and Android, plus Liquid Glass accessibility refinements, a Pride-themed wallpaper, eight new emojis, and several Apple Music features including
For people who text across iPhone and Android, the next message might look the same—but the lock icon is new.
Apple released iOS 26.5 and iPadOS 26.5 on Monday, May 11, bringing a set of updates to compatible iPhones and iPads. The headline change is a privacy upgrade: end-to-end encrypted Rich Communication Services. or RCS. messaging in beta between iPhone and Android. The update also includes accessibility improvements. expanded Apple Maps recommendations. refinements to Apple’s Liquid Glass interface. and new Apple Music tools.
Encrypted RCS messaging comes to iPhone
One of the biggest additions in iOS 26.5 is end-to-end encrypted RCS messaging in beta, a feature Apple and Google helped develop as part of a broader effort to improve privacy for cross-platform texting.
With the update, encrypted messaging is enabled between iPhone and Android users using supported carriers and the latest version of Google Messages on Android devices. Apple says users will know a conversation is encrypted when a lock icon appears in RCS chats, and encryption is enabled by default.
“When RCS messages are end-to-end encrypted, they can’t be read while they’re sent between devices,” Apple said in a release announcing the feature. The company added that encrypted messaging will gradually become available for both new and existing RCS conversations over time.
Supported U.S. carriers include AT&T, T-Mobile and Verizon, as well as Boost Mobile, Cricket, Mint Mobile, Metro by T-Mobile and several others, according to PCMag.
Apple also noted that iMessage conversations between Apple devices have long included end-to-end encryption.
Liquid Glass, accessibility updates
The update expands Apple’s Liquid Glass interface with new accessibility-focused settings.
Apple said a revised “Reduce Motion” option more reliably minimizes animations for users sensitive to on-screen movement. A separate “Reduce Bright Effects” setting reduces flashes caused by tapping buttons and other interface elements.
Subtitle and caption controls are now easier to access while watching content. Apple says the update also improves keyboard accuracy for fast typists after users complained about frequent typing mistakes.
New wallpaper, emojis and Apple Music tools
iOS 26.5 also adds a downloadable “Pride Luminance” wallpaper that dynamically reflects a spectrum of colors across the display.
The update includes eight new emojis, including an orca, trombone, ballet dancer, landslide and distorted face.
Several new Apple Music features are included as well. Playlist Playground, currently in beta, can generate playlists from written descriptions, complete with suggested titles and tracklists.
A new Concerts feature recommends nearby live shows from artists in a user’s music library. Offline Music Recognition can identify songs even without an internet connection and provide results later.
Apple also added a new Ambient Music widget featuring curated playlists for sleep, productivity, chill and wellness.
Other iOS 26.5 changes
Additional updates arrive across multiple apps and features, including:
New tools in the Reminders app that let users mark reminders as urgent and filter them in Smart Lists.
Freeform now includes expanded image creation and editing tools through Apple Creator Studio.
Family Sharing users can now use their own payment methods for purchases instead of relying on the family organizer.
Apple Maps gains Suggested Places recommendations based on trending nearby locations and recent searches.
The timing also matters for Apple’s roadmap. The iOS 26.5 update arrives less than a month before Apple is expected to unveil iOS 27 during its Worldwide Developers Conference on June 8.
iOS 26.5 iPadOS 26.5 encrypted RCS messaging iPhone Android texting Apple Music Playlist Playground Offline Music Recognition Liquid Glass accessibility Reduce Motion Pride Luminance wallpaper new emojis