When Apple brought RCS messaging to its Messages app with iOS 18, it was missing a major feature: support for end-to-end encryption.
Now, support for E2EE RCS could arrive on your device with iOS 26.3.
Apple/Screenshot by CNET
Apple released the second public beta of iOS 26.3 on Tuesday, more than a month after the company released iOS 26.2, which included more ways to customize your iPhone's Liquid Glass design.
Since this is a beta, I recommend downloading it on a device other than your primary one. This isn't the final version of iOS 26.3, so the update may be buggy and have a short battery life. It's best to keep these issues on a secondary device.
Also, remember that more features may be added to your iPhone when version 26.3 is formally released. There's no word on when Apple's update will be available to the general public.
In the meantime, here's what features developers and beta testers can try now before Apple releases iOS 26.3.
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End-to-end encrypted RCS messaging support could come to iPhone
According to AppleInsider, iOS 26.3 could -- finally -- include support for E2EE RCS messaging in Messages. A French developer known as Tiino-X83 posted a screenshot online of what could be carrier bundles in the latest iOS 26.3 beta's code. There's also a new key titled "SupportsE2EE."
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