Before iOS 26 Arrives, Here's What to Know About RCS Messaging on Your iPhone
CNET
With RCS messaging, you can enjoy features like typing indicators and the "Delivered" status message while messaging Android users. It also helps ensure high-quality videos and pictures are sent when texting between iPhone and Android devices. Then, with iOS 18.1, Apple brought RCS Business Messaging to iPhones, which means you'll be able to chat with some businesses in Messages rather than a buggy web page.
However, RCS on iPhone doesn't provide end-to-end encryption between iPhones and Android yet. The GSM Association, which develops the RCS standard, said in September that it's working to enable end-to-end encryption between these devices.
Read more: Everything You Need to Know About iOS 18
Here's how to check if your carrier supports RCS and how to make sure it's enabled on your iPhone.
Does my carrier support RCS messaging?
Most carriers support RCS but not all. For example, AT&T, T-Mobile and Verizon support RCS on iPhones running iOS 18. If your iPhone is running iOS 18.5, here are all the US carriers that support RCS on iPhone.
AT&T
C Spire
Consumer Cellular
Cricket
Family Mobile
FirstNet
H20 Wireless
Metro by T-Mobile
PureTalk
RedPocket Mobile
Spectrum Mobile
T-Mobile
TracFone / Straight Talk
Ultra Mobile
US Cellular
Verizon
Visible
Xfinity Mobile
If you live outside of the US, here's how to check on your iPhone for whether your carrier supports RCS messaging on your device.
1. Open Settings on your iPhone.
2. Tap General.
3. Tap About.
4. Tap Carrier.
When you tap Carrier, it will change to IMS Status and show messaging support details to the right. For example, if your carrier supports RCS, you'll see Voice, SMS & RCS. If your carrier doesn't support RCS, you'll see Voice & SMS.
If your carrier doesn't support RCS Messaging, have no fear, as Apple is reportedly expanding support to more carriers in the future.
Now Playing: How to Enable RCS on iPhone
03:09
How to enable or disable RCS on your iPhone
Apple finally brought RCS to iPhones with iOS 18.
Apple/CNET
If your carrier supports RCS, here's how to make sure it's working on your iPhone.
1. Open Settings.
2. Tap Apps near the bottom of the menu.
3. Tap Messages.
4. Tap RCS Messaging under Text Messaging.
4. Tap the toggle next to RCS Messaging.
Now messaging Android devices will feel more like messaging another iPhone -- but you'll still see those green bubbles. And if you want to disable RCS, follow the above steps again.
Read more: The iPhone 16 Pro's High-Res Slow-Motion Video Is the Best Apple Feature in Years
Why won't RCS work on my iPhone?
If you updated your iPhone to iOS 18.5, your carrier supports RCS and you enabled it on your iPhone, but RCS isn't working for you, you might need to restart your iPhone.
Is it safe to message Android devices?
Yes but you should use an end-to-end encrypted messaging app, like Signal. RCS on iPhone is not end-to-end encrypted and the FBI and US Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency are advising iPhone and Android users not to message each other because of a cyberattack. According to officials, the cyberattack is targeting telecom companies, including AT&T, Verizon and Lumen Technologies. The attack might have compromised private texts, phone conversations and call metadata on mobile devices.
The GSMA, a nonprofit that develops the Rich Communication Services standard, announced in March that it's adding interoperable encryption to RCS messaging, allowing for end-to-end encryption between different providers. Apple and Google collaborated on the protocol and according to The Verge, both companies will implement it.
"We will add support for end-to-end encrypted RCS messages to iOS, iPadOS, macOS, and watchOS in future software updates," an Apple spokesperson told The Verge. It's unclear when that update will be available.
Read more: What to Know About the Ongoing Mobile Messaging Cyberattack
For more on iOS 18, here's what you need to know about iOS 18.5 and iOS 18.4. You can also check out our iOS 18 cheat sheet and everything to know about iOS 26.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
9 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Circle stock rises after quarterly revenue beats estimates in first earnings since blockbuster IPO
Circle (CRCL) stock jumped 2% in afternoon trading on Tuesday after the stablecoin issuer posted better-than-expected quarterly revenue for the first time since going public. The company reported second quarter total revenue of $658 million, versus the $647 million analysts expected. CEO Jeremy Allaire said the company's stablecoin, USDC (USDC-USD), was the "fastest-growing major stablecoin over the past year." USDC in circulation grew 90% year-over-year to $61.3 billion at quarter end, and has grown an additional 6.4% to $65.2 billion as of Aug 10. "Overall activity globally in the digital asset economy has been growing," Allaire told Yahoo Finance on Tuesday morning. "We're continuing to see growth in the use of dollar digital currencies like USDC as a store of value around the world in cross-border settlements," he added. "Use cases continue to expand, and I think people are finding that this is an incredibly high utility, new form of money." The company also announced ARC, a new blockchain network for stablecoin finance that will launch in the second half of the year. "We wanted to create a way for institutions to pay fees on blockchains in a fast, predictable manner that would be simple from an accounting perspective and could deliver very low-cost and stable fees," CEO Jeremy Allaire said during the company's earnings call on Tuesday morning. The stock is up roughly 480% from its IPO price of $31 per share as crypto-friendly legislation has lifted the sector. Circle has been at the center of optimism over the stablecoin market following the passage of the GENIUS Act, legislation that creates guardrails and a framework for digital tokens backed by assets such as the US dollar. Circle makes much of its money from interest income, specifically from short-term Treasury bills backing its stablecoin, USDC. The company's reserve income increased 50% year over year to $634 million, primarily from an 86% growth in USDC stablecoin circulation. Allaire indicated if the Fed reserve cuts interest rates and yields on short term treasuries decline, the growth of stablecoins will offset decline in rates. "We believe that lower interest rates are going to be accelerative to the business, as money velocity picks up, as invested capital picks up, and as more people are putting money to use in the economy, this very high utility form of money will grow," said Allaire. The company also shares part of its revenue with Coinbase (COIN), a major distribution partner. Last month, Compass Point analyst Ed Engel flagged the risk of rising distribution costs as the company expands its network while continuing to share a portion of its interest income. On Tuesday morning, Engel said Circle's gross profit margin guidance of 36% to 38% for fiscal year 2025 "slightly underwhelmed." Engel said that forecast implies second half margins will come in below the first half of the year's 39%, writing "we would have expected higher gross margins in 2H25." "While CRCL's lower margin guidance could be due to conservatism, CRCL's recent partnerships don't seem to benefiting the near-term margin outlook. As such, we reiterate our Sell rating and $130 PT," he wrote. However, others on Wall Street saw the stock as a way for investors to participate in rising enthusiasm over stablecoins. "CRCL is a global leader in stablecoins and is the purest stablecoin play in the public markets right now, and we anticipate further gains in the shares as the company creates new opportunities for itself and its partners," Seaport Research analyst Jeff Cantwell wrote last month. The analyst has a Buy rating and price target of $280 on the stock. Circle's results come as the overall market hovers near all-time highs and crypto rallies on expectations of Federal Reserve rate cuts and President Trump's push to include crypto in 401(k) plans. Prior to the earnings release, Wall Street analysts had nine Buy, five Hold, and four Sell ratings on Circle stock. Ines Ferre is a senior business reporter for Yahoo Finance. Follow her on X at @ines_ferre. Click here for in-depth analysis of the latest stock market news and events moving stock prices
Yahoo
9 minutes ago
- Yahoo
C3 AI (AI) Nosedives as Preliminary Results ‘Completely Unacceptable'
We recently published . Inc. (NYSE:AI) is one of the best-performing stocks on Monday. fell for a fourth straight day on Monday, slashing 25.58 percent to close at $16.47 apiece after its chief executive called the preliminary results of its first quarter of fiscal year 2026 performance 'completely unacceptable.' According to Inc. (NYSE:AI), it was targeting to report total revenues of $70.2 million to $70.4 million, and GAAP operational loss of $124.7 million to $124.9 million. Non-GAAP loss from operations was targeted at $57.7 million to $57.9 million. Commenting on the results, Inc. (NYSE:AI) CEO Tom Siebel said the sales figures were 'completely unacceptable,' and pointed to disruptions from a recent leadership reorganization, and his health contributing to the company's poor performance. Last month, Inc. (NYSE:AI) announced that it was searching for a new CEO after Siebel tendered his resignation due to health reasons, effective upon a successor assuming his post. 'After being diagnosed with an autoimmune disease in early 2025, I have experienced significant visual impairment,' he was quoted as saying last month. 'For C3 AI to reach its full potential—which I believe is spectacular—the board and I have initiated a search for a new CEO who can take the company to the next level of growth and success. I will remain fully engaged as Chief Executive Officer of until such time as the board appoints my successor, after which I will continue in the role of Executive Chairman, focusing on strategy, product innovation, strategic partner and customer relationships,' he noted. While we acknowledge the potential of AI as an investment, our conviction lies in the belief that some AI stocks hold greater promise for delivering higher returns and have limited downside risk. If you are looking for an extremely cheap AI stock that is also a major beneficiary of Trump tariffs and onshoring, see our free report on the .
Yahoo
9 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Penn Foster Group Honored with Global Catalyst Award for Learner Success
Anthology recognizes NewLeaf platform's role in improving the experience for over half a million online learners PHOENIX, Aug. 12, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Penn Foster Group, a leader in online education and workforce training, has been recognized with the 2025 Anthology Catalyst Award in the category of Student Success, honoring the institution's innovative use of technology to support student outcomes, enhance institutional excellence, and expand access to education that meets the needs of today's diverse learners. The Catalyst Awards, presented annually by Anthology, celebrate institutions and individuals who are leveraging Anthology solutions in bold, inspiring, and impactful ways. Winners are selected from across the globe for their leadership, innovation, and commitment to expanding access and advancing outcomes for learners. The Student Success category celebrates organizations that are implementing data-driven strategies to improve student retention, support completion, and strengthen learner outcomes. "This recognition reflects the real impact of our work to leverage data and technology to deliver a more responsive, supportive, and effective learning experience," said Kermit Cook, CEO of Penn Foster Group. "By harnessing technology in ways that improve the student experience and subsequent outcomes, we're creating systems that adapt to learners' lives and translate into real progress for learners striving for upward mobility." Central to the institution's award-winning approach is NewLeaf, a unified student experience platform that brings together enrollment, academic support, financial services, and graduation processes into one streamlined system, making it easier for students to navigate their learning journey. By leveraging the flexibility of the Anthology® Student system application programming interface and real-time data architecture, NewLeaf enables a seamless learner experience and real-time data synchronization, integrating student workflows. Since its launch in February 2024, the platform has served over 500,000 learners and driven a notable increase in program completion rates, along with a 10-point increase in Learner NPS scores for those native to the new Learner Center. The out-of-the-box integration between Anthology® Reach and Student has empowered learner support teams to address learner needs more efficiently. These outcomes reflect the power of technology to deliver more cohesive, responsive, and supportive learning experiences at scale. "We believe in the Power of Together, and this year's Catalyst Award winners are shining examples of what happens when institutions partner with purpose, vision, and innovation to transform the future of education," said Bruce Dahlgren, CEO of Anthology. Founded in 2005, the annual Catalyst Awards recognize and honor innovation and excellence in the Anthology global community of practice, where millions of educators and learners work every day to redefine what is possible when leveraging technology. Winners are selected by a cross-functional team of Anthology experts and represent the very best in their field. For more information about Penn Foster Group, please visit To learn more about the Catalyst Awards and see the full list of 2025 winners, visit About Penn Foster GroupAt Penn Foster Group, we are transforming online learning to help learners by bringing together Penn Foster, Ashworth College, James Madison High School, the New York Institute of Photography, the New York Institute of Art and Design, and other education platforms. Together, we create pathways to greater economic mobility through real-world skills and knowledge that may enable them to achieve long-term success in the workplaces of the future. Our history dates back to 1890 when our founder, Thomas Foster, pioneered distance education by offering training by mail for coal miners to get the necessary skills for safer jobs. Today, with the partners who use our education and training programs, we continue that mission of providing accessible training and education for in-demand skills and are building a workforce that's prepared for the future job market. About Anthology Anthology delivers education and technology solutions so that students can reach their full potential and learning institutions thrive. Millions of students around the world are supported throughout their education journey via Anthology's ecosystem of flagship SaaS solutions and supporting services, including the award-winning Blackboard® (LMS), Anthology® Student (SIS/ERP), and Anthology® Reach (CRM). Through the Power of Together, we are uniquely inspiring educators and institutions with innovation that is meaningful, simple and intelligent to help customers redefine what's possible and create life-changing opportunities for people everywhere. View original content to download multimedia: SOURCE Penn Foster Group Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
