End-to-end encrypted RCS messaging is rolling out for iPhone users on iOS 26.5 and Android users in Google Messages, with a beta-style phased rollout.
A new kind of lock icon is starting to appear in RCS chats, and it signals a major shift for cross-platform texting: end-to-end encryption is now reaching iOS.
With the rollout of E2EE RCS messaging in iOS 26.5, Apple is enabling Android and iPhone users to exchange messages with enhanced security between platforms—so that, when the required conditions are met, RCS messages can’t be read while they’re being sent between devices.
Apple says the feature will go live for iPhone users running iOS 26.5 who are on a supported carrier. while Android users need the latest version of Google Messages.. The combination is key: encryption is tied to carrier availability and the messaging app version that will handle RCS with the new security layer.
To make the change visible in everyday conversations. Apple is adding a new lock icon to RCS chats when a message is encrypted.. Alongside that. the company has published a list of participating carriers on a support page. offering users a way to check whether their network is part of the initial rollout.
Even though the feature is now ready for larger public testing, Apple emphasizes that this is still a beta.. The company also expects the rollout to happen in phases rather than all at once. and it says encrypted messaging will be automatically enabled over time for both new and existing RCS conversations.
Apple’s path to this point has been gradual.. Testing began in the first iOS 26.4 developer beta in mid-February, and early trials were tightly constrained.. At that stage. the feature was limited to iPhone users who had iMessage disabled. reflecting the complexity of ensuring that encrypted RCS operates cleanly alongside Apple’s other messaging options.
About a week later. Apple released a second iOS 26.4 developer beta that expanded testing—this time enabling Android and iPhones to trade fully encrypted RCS messages.. That marked the first time the company allowed the cross-platform promise to be exercised in practice. rather than keeping encryption limited to a more narrow setup.
The broader effort traces back to Apple’s earlier announcement made in March 2025. when it said it would be bringing end-to-end encryption to RCS messaging on iOS.. In this context. the iOS 26.5 rollout represents the transition from controlled development testing to more widespread evaluation. with phased availability reflecting how companies typically expand encryption features without disrupting messaging reliability.
For users. the immediate implication is straightforward: the lock icon and automatic enabling over time aim to make stronger protection the default rather than an opt-in setting.. For the wider ecosystem. the move is also a signal that cross-platform messaging is continuing to evolve. with major platform holders working toward security models that apply across different operating systems and networks.
As the beta phases roll out. availability may differ by carrier and by device messaging setup. since encryption depends on meeting Apple’s stated requirements.. That also means some conversations may switch on at different times. even for users who already have the update installed. until encryption is enabled across new and existing RCS threads.
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