RCS Messages Between iPhone and Android Get End-to-End Encryption With iOS 26.5

A forthcoming update means new features and changes, including end-to-end encryption for texts sent between iPhones and Android phones.

End-to-end encryption (E2EE) for RCS messages between iPhone and Android devices is officially available, Apple confirmed today. Support is included in iOS 26.5, which is now available to everyone. End-to-end encrypted RCS messaging is available in a beta capacity,

Apple's iOS 26.5 introduces new security features, subscription options and Maps enhancements, marking a significant update in the iPhone's software evolution.

OS 26.5 adds encrypted RCS support for iPhone and Android chats, but users should look for the lock indicator before assuming cross-platform conversations are protected.

OS 26.5 is expected to be released next week, following more than a month of beta testing. The update is relatively minor, but there are a couple of new features and changes across the operating system that we have recapped below.

Use left and right arrow keys to seek audio. As part of iOS 26.5, Apple has finally added end-to-end encrypted RCS conversations with Android users in the Messages app. This has been one of the most long-awaited updates in mobile messaging, closing one of ...

Apple has released the latest iOS 26.5 beta, and it brings a familiar feature to the Messages app as the RCS technology sees the return of end-to-end encryption. Apple Messages' RCS Sees End-to-End Encryption Return According to a new report by 9to5Mac ...

Two new features are coming to Apple Maps with the release of iOS 26.5 — that is, if you consider the introduction of ads on the platform a

Apple has taken a small step toward securing cross-platform messaging, with early RCS encryption support now appearing in the iOS 26.4 beta. Just don't expect to get that much testing done right now. We got our first hint that the feature was, at the very ...