Apple has taken a small step toward securing cross-platform messaging, with early RCS encryption support now appearing in the iOS 26.4 beta. Just don't expect to get that much testing done right now.
Way back in March 2025, Apple announced that it would add support for end-to-end encryption to RCS messaging on iPhone. At the time, there were very few details about when the feature would be implemented.
We got our first hint that the feature was, at the very least, being worked on in January.
But now it seems like the moment may soon be here. On Monday, Apple released the first iOS 26.4 developer beta, which includes the ability to encrypt RCS messages.
It's worth noting that end-to-end RCS encryption is enabled by default. Beta users can opt out of the feature by heading to the Settings app.
Crucially, this is a very early test of the feature. So early that Apple has already said the feature will not be rolling out as part of the iOS 26.4 update, and that the end-to-end encryption (E2EE) for RCS would roll out "in a future iOS 26 software update."
And it seems like even if beta testers leave the feature enabled, it may not actually encrypt the messages — yet. The initial testing phase will not be cross-platform; only iPhone users who have iMessage disabled will be able to test it.
If you meet the notably strict criteria, you'll be able to tell if your messages are encrypted by the addition of a small lock icon in the chat. Those using iMessage threads will also see the lock icon, though iMessage has had E2EE since its launch — all the way back in 2011.
