The latest test version of iOS 26.5 includes a changelog about bringing some new protections to texts. The smartphone operating system will be rolling out end-to-end encryption for RCS messages between Apple and Android devices. “End-to-end encrypted RCS messaging (beta) in Messages is available with supported carriers and will roll out over time,” is Apple’s official wording about the addition. The setting will be on by default, but Apple device owners can confirm it in Settings under the RCS Messaging menu of the Messages section once they are running iOS 26.5.
According to 9to5Google, a lock icon will appear in an iPhone user’s Messages app when chats to an Android device are taking advantage of the encryption. On the Android side, the Google Messages chats to iOS devices will look the same way they do when messaging another user (or users) with encrypted RCS.
Apple added the option for RCS messaging as part of iOS 18. The GSM Association, which operates the RCS protocol, added support for E2EE between the operating systems last year. At the time, Apple said it would bring the added security layer “in future software updates” that seem to have finally arrived. The tech company began testing this tech back in February as part of iOS 26.4, although Apple specified that it did not plan to officially roll out the encryption feature with that launch. More protections to keep communications private is pretty much always a good thing to see, so that’s a welcome addition to what might otherwise be a more incremental iOS 26.5 update.
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