As of May 2026, Android and iPhone users can send each other end-to-end encrypted text messages for the first time. The feature began rolling out in beta on Monday for users running the most up-to-date software on both platforms.
End-to-end encryption (e2ee) protects messages while they are in transit, making them extremely difficult for hackers, governments, or platform companies to intercept and read. While iMessage has offered encryption since its 2011 launch and Android users have been able to message each other with e2ee since 2021, cross-platform encryption between the two operating systems was not previously possible.
The development involves Apple and Google, and is built on RCS — Rich Communication Services — the industry-standard messaging protocol that supports features such as typing indicators, read receipts, emoji reactions, longer messages, and encryption. Apple resisted adopting RCS from 2020 until 2023, when it eventually added support following regulatory pressure. Google had long urged Apple to adopt the protocol to improve communication between their respective devices.
The lack of RCS compatibility had been a persistent friction point for users. iPhone recipients received Android messages as “green bubbles” rather than blue, and cross-platform group chats frequently broke down, with multimedia shared at poor quality.
Because the encrypted RCS feature is still in beta, not all users will have immediate access. When a conversation between an Apple and Google device is protected, both users will see a lock icon in the chat interface.
The rollout may further narrow the long-standing gap in messaging experience between iPhone and Android users, though full availability will depend on when the beta expands beyond its initial release.
Source: TechCrunch