Apple rolls out encrypted RCS messaging in iOS 26.5 update

iPhone users texting Android phones began getting a long-awaited upgrade as Apple started rolling out end-to-end encrypted RCS chats in iOS 26.5, making cross-platform messages, photos and attachments more secure in supported conversations. The change also makes the iPhone-to-Android experience less awkward, narrowing one of the biggest gaps between Apple’s own messaging system and standard texting.

Apple said the encrypted RCS feature started rolling out in beta on May 11, with a new lock icon appearing in RCS chats when encryption is active. The protection is enabled by default, but it will roll out gradually for new and existing conversations, and Apple said both participants’ carriers must support encrypted RCS for a chat to be fully protected. On Android, the latest version of Google Messages is required, while iPhone users need iOS 26.5. Apple also warned that some users may see a delay before the feature turns on after RCS is enabled.

The update matters because RCS is meant to modernize texting with features long associated with iMessage. Apple says RCS on iPhone supports high-resolution photos and videos, links, delivery and read receipts, and typing indicators. iMessage, meanwhile, has always been end-to-end encrypted and remains Apple’s preferred route for communication inside its own ecosystem. That split underscores Apple’s broader strategy: open just enough to improve interoperability, while still using software advantages to keep users inside its hardware orbit.

Apple’s iOS 26.5 support notes say the release also adds a downloadable Pride Luminance wallpaper, Suggested Places in Maps, enhancements, bug fixes and security updates. Apple Developer notes show the iOS and iPadOS 26.5 SDK also adds new StoreKit pricing and subscription tools, signaling that the release is aimed at app makers as well as consumers.

The timing fits a broader industry shift. Apple first added RCS support to iPhone with iOS 18, released on September 16, 2024, and the GSMA later published RCS Universal Profile 3.0 on March 13, 2025, setting requirements for interoperable end-to-end encryption. For Apple, iOS 26.5 is less a single-feature release than another step in turning the default texting experience into a more secure, more capable, and still carefully Apple-controlled part of the iPhone.