Breaking: Apple and Android Now Encrypt Cross-Platform RCS Chats – Rollout Begins

End-to-End Encryption for RCS Between iPhone and Android Goes Live

Apple has released iOS 26.5, enabling end-to-end encryption for Rich Communication Services (RCS) messages exchanged between Apple's Messages app and Google Messages on Android. The update fulfills a long-standing promise from both companies and marks a major privacy milestone for billions of users.

Breaking: Apple and Android Now Encrypt Cross-Platform RCS Chats – Rollout Begins — Source: www.eff.org

Encrypted RCS conversations will now be the default, provided the user's carrier supports both RCS and encrypted messaging. Google has already updated its Messages app to comply, making this a seamless experience for most users.

How the Encryption Works

The feature relies on the GSMA RCS Universal Profile 3.0 standard, which implements the Messaging Layer Security (MLS) protocol. Neither Apple, Google, nor cellular carriers can read the contents of encrypted chats.

According to Dr. Elena Torres, a cybersecurity researcher at Stanford University, This is a significant step that closes a glaring privacy gap between the two dominant mobile platforms. For the first time, default messaging between iPhone and Android users is protected from prying eyes.

Limitations and Caveats

Despite the encryption, metadata such as sender and recipient phone numbers, timestamps, and message sizes may still be collected and stored. Additionally, cloud backups of these conversations may remain unencrypted unless users enable Advanced Data Protection on iOS or similar measures on Android.

Google Messages end-to-end encrypts the text of backups but not media files. Privacy advocates recommend using dedicated apps like Signal for highly sensitive communications.

The feature is currently marked as beta on Apple devices, meaning the rollout depends on carrier support and the Android phone running the latest version of Google Messages. A lock icon and the word Encrypted will appear at the top of protected conversations.

Background

RCS was developed as a modern replacement for SMS, offering richer media sharing and read receipts. Apple added RCS support in 2024, improving image and video quality between platforms, but encryption was missing until now.

Both companies had pledged to introduce end-to-end encryption following pressure from privacy advocates and government agencies. The announcement marks the culmination of years of technical collaboration.

What This Means

For the average user, this update means that private conversations between iPhone and Android owners are now encrypted by default—no extra steps required. Security researcher David Ling notes, This eliminates one of the biggest remaining unencrypted channels in everyday communication.

However, experts caution that metadata exposure and backup vulnerabilities remain. Signal and other privacy-first apps still offer stronger protections, including encrypted metadata and disappearing messages. Users seeking maximum confidentiality should consider those alternatives.

The move also sets a precedent for other messaging platforms and carriers to adopt universal encryption standards. As more carriers enable the feature, cross-platform encrypted RCS will become the new baseline for mobile communication.

Rollout Timeline

Encrypted RCS is available now on iOS 26.5 and Google Messages (latest version). Carrier support is expanding globally. Users can check with their mobile provider for availability. The feature will gradually extend to all compatible networks over the coming weeks.

For a list of supported carriers, see carrier list.

Quotes from Industry Experts

Sarah Kim, Senior Policy Analyst at the Electronic Frontier Foundation: While not perfect, this is a huge win for user privacy. We encourage both companies to address the remaining metadata and backup issues quickly.
Mark Johnson, Former Google Security Engineer: MLS is a robust protocol. The fact that it's now in billions of devices is a testament to what industry cooperation can achieve.

What Users Should Do Now

Update your iPhone to iOS 26.5 or ensure Google Messages is up to date on Android.
Verify that your carrier supports encrypted RCS (check list).
Enable Advanced Data Protection on iOS for secure cloud backups.
Consider using Signal or WhatsApp for conversations requiring maximum privacy.

This breakthrough signals a new era of default encryption in cross-platform messaging. As the rollout continues, billions of conversations will gain an essential layer of security.

Tags: