Apple has begun testing end-to-end encryption for RCS messages between iPhone and Android devices in iOS 26.4 Developer Beta 2, marking the first public step toward securing cross-platform RCS conversations.
Apple confirms in its developer beta release that RCS end-to-end encryption is now available for testing between Apple and Android devices. The feature leverages the GSMA’s RCS Universal Profile 3.0 standard, which incorporates Messaging Layer Security (MLS) to enable encrypted communication across different clients.
Apple also adds that the feature is only in beta and will not ship in the current release. End-to-end encryption for RCS will be made available to customers in future iOS, iPadOS, macOS, and watchOS 26 updates.
Closing the Encryption Gap Between Apple and Android
Apple-to-Apple iMessage conversations are already protected with Apple’s PQ3 encryption protocol. On Android, RCS messages sent through Google Messages are encrypted using the Signal protocol for Android-to-Android chats.
Until now, RCS messages exchanged between iPhone and Android users were not end-to-end encrypted. The new implementation is meant to close that gap.
Apple notes that conversations labeled as encrypted are protected end-to-end, meaning messages cannot be read while in transit between devices.
However, the company also clarifies that:
- End-to-end encryption will not be available on all Apple devices.
- Only certain carriers will support the feature initially.
- The capability is still in beta and not enabled for all users.
How to Test a New RCS Encryption Feature
Developers running iOS 26.4 Developer Beta 2 can enable the feature manually:
- Open Settings.
- Go to Messages.
- Tap RCS Messaging.
- Enable End-to-End Encryption (Beta).
On the Android side, users must be enrolled in the Google Messages beta program to establish encrypted RCS communication using the updated protocol.
Apple noted that the feature is for testing only at this stage and is not included in the current public release.
Availability of Apple-to-Android RCS Encryption
End-to-end encryption for Apple-to-Android RCS is currently limited to developer beta builds. Apple has not provided a specific timeline for the stable rollout, beyond stating that it will arrive in a future release of iOS 26 and related platform updates.
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