Apple’s iOS 26.5 release, which is currently available to developers and public testers, brings end-to-end encryption in RCS messaging between iPhone and Androids.
Having launched on May 4th, the feature is currently in beta but will roll out to supported carriers over time.
The capability means messages exchanged between iOS and Android users travel without the possibility of interception by third parties, bringing cross-platform RCS conversations in line with the encryption model that has long applied to same-platform messaging on both Google Messages and iMessage.
Cross-platform encrypted RCS has been in testing since February, with the iOS 26.5 release candidate marking the first time the feature has appeared in a build intended for imminent public release rather than extended internal development and carrier validation cycles.
That testing period reflects the complexity of deploying end-to-end encryption across two competing mobile ecosystems, a challenge that has required coordination between Apple, Google, and the carriers supporting the RCS Universal Profile on both platforms before a stable rollout could begin.
Once active, the iPhone Messages app displays a “Text Message/RCS/Encrypted” indicator at the top of conversations with Android users, while Google Messages surfaces the same lock icon already familiar to users messaging between Android devices, keeping the visual language consistent across both platforms.
iPhone users will find the feature toggled on by default under Settings > Messages > RCS Messaging, where it appears listed as End-to-End Encryption (Beta), while Android users need only ensure they are running the current version of Google Messages for the encryption to apply automatically on their end.
Apple has not confirmed a specific release date for iOS 26.5, though the release candidate build suggests a public launch is expected within days of the feature’s announcement to testers.
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