With today’s release of iOS 26.5, Apple has launched beta support for end-to-end encrypted RCS messaging. As with all things RCS, both you and the recipient of your messages must meet certain basic requirements before your messages are protected in transit.
First, you’ll need an iPhone running iOS 26.5 connected to a wireless network that supports E2E encrypted messaging over RCS. You can find a full list of compatible networks on Apple’s website. In the US, AT&T, T-Mobile and Verizon are all out of the gate with day-one support for the protocol. As for your Android friends, they’ll need the latest version of Google Messages running on a device connected to a compatible network.
On iPhone, if you see a new lock icon at the top of your RCS chat, the conversation you’re in is protected. Apple notes, “Encryption is on by default and will be automatically enabled over time for new and existing RCS conversations.” For communication between different Apple devices, Apple will continue to route messages through its own iMessage protocol.
As is usual, Apple also released updates for iPadOS, macOS Tahoe, and watchOS, all of which hit version 26.5 as well. There aren’t a lot of notable features this time; The main thing worth noting besides the encrypted RCS is a new “Suggested Places” in Maps that highlights places you might be interested in based on recent searches and what’s trending around you. There’s also a new Pride-themed “Luminance” wallpaper that’s quite cute, colorful, and customizable.
Although I’m sure there will be some remaining issues for Apple and Google, today’s release effectively ends our long RCS nightmare. Green chat bubbles (and the stigma attached to them) may remain, but at least iOS and Android users can chat with each other safely without resorting to third-party apps like Signal or WhatsApp. It may have taken years, a pressure campaign of questionable pricing and pressure from Chinese regulators, but we got here.
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