Apple has begun to show concrete steps in securing cross-platform messages by providing end-to-end encryption (E2EE) support for RCS in the iOS 26.4 developer beta version. However, this implementation is still in a very early stage and is not ready for public launch.
Previously in March 2025, Apple announced plans to add end-to-end encryption support to RCS messages on the iPhone. At that time, the company did not detail the implementation schedule. Initial indications that the feature was being developed appeared in January, and now more clear signs are visible through the latest beta release.
On Monday, February 16, Apple released the first iOS 26.4 developer beta that already includes the ability to encrypt RCS messages. In this version, end-to-end encryption for RCS is active by default. Beta users who want to disable it can do so through the Settings app.
However, Apple insists that the feature will not be officially released in the final iOS 26.4 update. The company states that E2EE for RCS will only be launched in the upcoming iOS 26 update. This means that the presence of this feature in the beta version is more of an early testing phase than production readiness.
Even in the active feature state, it is not necessarily the case that the message is actually encrypted. This initial testing phase also does not fully support cross-platform communication. Testing can only be performed by iPhone users who disable iMessage and meet certain criteria that are quite strict.
For users who meet these requirements, encrypted messages will be marked with a small padlock icon in the conversation. A similar icon also appears in iMessage conversations, although the iMessage service itself has been using end-to-end encryption since it was first launched in 2011.
This step is seen as part of Apple's efforts to increase the interoperability and security of messages between iPhones and non-Apple devices through the RCS standard. Although still limited and not fully functional, the appearance of RCS encryption in the iOS 26.4 beta is a signal that E2EE support for cross-platform communication is getting closer to realization.
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