Skip to content

How to enable and use RCS for secure cross-platform messaging

Apple’s messaging app Messages has adopted a new cross-platform messaging standard called RCS. Here’s how to be sure you have it enabled on your iPhone, and what new features it gives you when messaging people on other platforms.

iPhone screen showing message settings with RCS and MMS toggles turned on, 'Show Subject Field' toggle off, against a green background.
RCS messaging brings more features to cross-platform messaging.

The RCS protocol, which stands for Rich Communication Services, brings some of the abilities of Messages to users who aren’t on iPhones. It has also been adopted by other messaging apps, such as WhatsApp.

As of iOS 18, RCS is supported — meaning some features you previously only saw when reading or sending messages to other iPhone users also now work when conversing with Android owners.

Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums