IOS 26.3 Could Support End-to-End Encrypted RCS Messaging On Your IPhone

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 end-to-end encrypted (E2EE) RCS could arrive on your device with iOS 26.3.

The download page for iOS 26.3 public beta 2. — Apple/Screenshot by

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. It’s not the final version of iOS 26.3, so the update may be buggy and have a short battery life. My advice is to keep those 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.”

These code elements don’t guarantee that end-to-end encrypted RCS messaging will be available on your iPhone when Apple releases iOS 26.3 to the general public. It could mean Apple is testing the functionality first. AppleInsider also said that the new key title appears in four bundles of wireless carriers that operate in France, so this could be a regional-specific feature, especially during testing.

If iOS 26.3 does include support for end-to-end encrypted RCS messaging, it will then be up to carriers to enable the messaging protocol on their network.

Transfer from iPhone to Android

Another change in the iOS 26.3 beta so far is an easy way to transfer your data from an iPhone to an Android device.

If you’ve considered switching from iPhone to Android, you may have been deterred by the transfer process. Android offers a five-step process to make this switch easy, but some of the steps include preparing your device by turning off FaceTime and Messages and connecting both devices using a cable.

With the iOS 26.3 beta, a new option allows you to connect your iPhone and Android devices.

Go to Settings > General > Transfer or Reset iPhone. Near the bottom of this page is an option called Transfer to Android. Tap this and follow the on-screen instructions to transfer photos, messages, apps and more to your Android device.

The Transfer or Reset iPhone menu with Transfer to Android outlined in red. — Apple/

Notification forwarding to other devices

The second iOS 26.3 beta removed the notification forwarding feature Apple introduced with the first beta. That feature could have allowed people to forward notifications to other devices, like non-Apple Watch smartwatches.

“Notifications can be forwarded to one accessory at a time,” Apple wrote in the menu’s description. “Notifications will not appear on Apple Watch while Notification Forwarding is turned on.”

However, it appears Apple removed this feature from the second beta. It’s possible Apple will tweak this feature and bring it back in a later beta or iOS version. This isn’t unusual, as features introduced during iOS beta cycles can change or be removed entirely before Apple makes that iOS version available to the public.

The Notification Forwarding menu in iOS 26.3 public beta 1. — You won’t see this menu in the latest iOS 26.3 beta.

Apple/

Those are a few of the new features developers and public beta testers can try now with the second public beta of iOS 26.3. There will likely be more betas before the OS is released to the public, so Apple has plenty of time to refine these features and add others. Again, Apple hasn’t confirmed when it will release iOS 26.3 to the general public.

For more iOS news, here’s everything you should know about iOS 26.2, the new features that were included in iOS 26.1 and my review of iOS 26. You can also check out our iOS 26 cheat sheet.