Android and iPhone users can finally send each other end-to-end encrypted text messages. The feature is now beginning to roll out in beta for users running the latest software updates on their devices.
End-to-end encryption is an important privacy feature that protects messages while they are being sent. It prevents hackers, governments, or even the companies operating the messaging services from reading private conversations.
Although Apple’s iMessage has supported encryption since 2011 and Android users have had encrypted RCS chats since 2021, messages between Android and iPhone devices were not protected in the same way until now.
For years, communication between iPhone and Android users has often felt limited and outdated. Apple did not support RCS messaging for a long time, even though the system includes modern features like typing indicators, read receipts, emoji reactions, better media sharing, and encryption.
Google had repeatedly encouraged Apple to adopt RCS to improve texting between the two platforms. The issue even became widely known because of the “green bubble” stigma among iPhone users.
Apple finally added RCS support in 2023 after pressure from regulators. Now, the addition of end-to-end encryption brings even more improvements to cross-platform messaging.
The encrypted RCS feature is still rolling out in beta, so some users may not see it immediately. When a conversation is protected, users will notice a lock icon showing that the chat is encrypted.
