Apple starts beta rollout of encrypted RCS messages

Apple has started delivering end-to-end encryption for RCS messages to iPhone users in the iOS 26.5 beta. Phonegram reported the move. The report describes the rollout as long awaited by privacy enthusiasts and says it bridges a security gap that separated iPhone and Android messaging. In practice, conversations between an iPhone and a phone without iMessage will no longer be transient texts that can be intercepted, Phonegram said.

Phonegram noted that iMessage has long offered encryption for iPhone-to-iPhone chats, while RCS messages to Android devices remained less protected. The new beta aims to close that gap, according to the report.

The encrypted RCS service appears in collaboration with supported carriers. It also requires the latest Google Messages app on Android. Phonegram said encryption will be enabled by default. The feature will roll out gradually to new and existing conversations, provided the carrier supports the technology at both ends. That means users may see encryption on some threads before others, depending on carrier support.

When RCS encryption is active, messages become unreadable in transit between devices. Phonegram said this addresses concerns about spying and data tampering. A lock icon shows inside RCS chats so users can see that end-to-end encryption is on, without digging through settings.

Apple announced its intention to add RCS encryption more than a year ago, and the beta arrives after rounds of testing, according to Phonegram. The publication said Apple's move shows that security should not depend on the chat bubble's color. Phonegram added that encryption is "no longer an optional feature" and has become "a fundamental right" for smartphone users.

The feature also reaches the Messages app on Mac. Phonegram explained that a Mac sends and receives RCS messages through a linked iPhone. Once that iPhone is updated to iOS 26.5 and the carrier supports encryption, conversations on the computer are fully encrypted as well.

Phonegram wrote that Apple's step places the company in a leading position on global communication privacy standards. The report said green bubbles can now serve as secure, reliable channels instead of merely an annoyance.

Phonegram did not say when encrypted RCS will leave beta or reach a stable iOS release, and it did not name which carriers support the feature first. The report also did not specify whether the rollout is limited to certain regions.