iOS 26.5 Drops With End-to-End Encrypted RCS Messaging
Apple's latest iOS update brings encrypted RCS messaging in beta, enabled by default on supported carriers.
Apple just shipped iOS 26.5 to the public after six weeks of beta testing. The headline feature: end-to-end encryption for RCS messaging, currently in beta with supported carriers.
The encrypted RCS setting is turned on by default. No toggling required. If your carrier supports it, you're covered out of the box.
Beyond the messaging upgrade, the update packs fresh wallpapers and new features for Apple Maps. Apple hasn't detailed every change, but the RCS encryption piece is the one that matters most here — securing cross-platform text conversations between iPhone and Android users at the protocol level.
The rollout marks a significant step for RCS on iPhone, which Apple adopted relatively recently. Now encryption gets baked in, at least for carriers already on board with the beta program.