RCS end-to-end – Misryoum reports iOS 26.5 RC adds E2EE to RCS chats between iPhone and Android, with an E2EE toggle enabled by default.
RCS messaging between iPhone and Android has been waiting for a security upgrade, and Misryoum says Apple is finally moving it forward with iOS 26.5.
In the iOS 26.5 release candidate, Apple introduces end-to-end encryption (E2EE) for RCS conversations between iPhone and Android. The update notes this as an official change, positioning it as E2EE for RCS messaging that can interoperate across platforms.
The feature appears in the release candidate first. which is typically the last step before a change reaches the stable release.. That means access may take a bit longer for everyday rollout. but the direction is clear: Misryoum reports the encrypted RCS capability is on the way to broader availability.
Once iOS 26.5 is available to more users, a new end-to-end encryption toggle is expected to show up in the Messages settings. According to Misryoum, it will be enabled by default, including for conversations with Android contacts, so more chats should be protected without requiring extra setup.
This matters because RCS is often used as the “default” modern text-messaging path between iPhone and Android. When E2EE is on, it reduces the risk of third parties intercepting and reading messages in transit, improving privacy for day-to-day communication.
For now, Misryoum notes the update is in the RC stage, so timelines for stable release and full coverage may vary. Still, the arrival of an E2EE control suggests Apple is treating RCS security as a mainstream feature rather than an opt-in experiment.
The bigger takeaway is how quickly cross-platform messaging expectations are changing. As E2EE becomes the norm for common chat flows, users can expect security improvements to land in their daily messaging apps rather than in niche tools.