Apple will soon encrypt iPhone-to-Android messages just like iMessage

When Apple released Messages with RCS support in iOS 18 last year, it was missing a key security feature: end-to-end encryption. At the time, Apple said it would wait until encryption was part of the RCS Universal Profile before bringing it to Messages. That day has arrived.

The GSM Association announced on Friday that the new GSM specifications for RCS will include end-to-end encryption (E2EE) based on the Messaging Layer Security (MLS) protocol. In a press release, the GSM Association said the new specifications will provide users with “the highest level of privacy and security” for protection from scams, fraud, and other threats.

These procedures ensure that messages and other content such as files remain confidential and secure as they travel between clients. RCS will be the first large-scale messaging service to support interoperable E2EE between client implementations from different providers.

Implementing the encryption protocols as a universal standard will ensure every message sent by iPhone users either over RCS or iMessage will enjoy the same E2EE. That means Apple can’t see your messages in transit or on Apple’s server. However, if you use iCloud for backups, messages will be able to be encrypted if you don’t use Advanced Data Protection.

Apple says it will add support for end-to-end encrypted RCS messages to iOS, iPadOS, macOS, and watchOS in future software updates.