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Apple began rolling out the release candidate of iOS 26.5 to testers on Monday, and it brings good news for those awaiting encrypted RCS messaging between Android and iPhone.
“End-to-end encrypted RCS messaging (beta) in Messages is available with supported carriers and will roll out over time,” Apple says in its release notes.
(Credit: Apple/Jibin Joseph)The Rich Communication Services (RCS) protocol offers a more modern messaging experience compared with traditional SMS. Features include support for high-resolution media, typing indicators, and delivery and read receipts. Apple added support for the protocol with iOS 18 in 2024, but it wasn’t end-to-end encrypted (E2EE) at the time.
The GSMA, the body that maintains the RCS protocol, added support for E2EE last year. At launch, Apple said that it would add support on its platforms with “future software updates.” The iPhone maker has been testing E2EE on iOS 26 since the beginning of the year, and it finally appears ready to roll out the security feature to all users.
Note that RCS messaging is a carrier-provided service, and only select carriers support it on iPhones. You can enable it from Settings > Apps > Messages > RCS Messaging. Per 9to5Google, once Apple adds support for E2EE, you’ll see a toggle for End-to-End Encryption (Beta). The feature will be enabled by default for RCS users, and you can confirm it's active by looking for a lock icon with “Encrypted” displayed next to it in the chat interface.
Since the iOS 26.5 RC was introduced this week, a stable iOS 26.5 release can be expected for all users next week. Other features teased with the test version include Pride Luminance wallpapers and an update to the Maps app that displays recommendations in Suggested Places based on what’s trending nearby and your recent searches.