{ "slug": "google-messages", "name": "Google Messages", "maker": "Google", "category": "chats", "verdict": "p", "answer": "Partly. RCS chats between Google Messages users are end-to-end encrypted by default, and chats with iPhones started getting the same in a beta in May 2026. Texts that go as SMS or MMS are not sealed: your carrier can read them.", "title": "Is Google Messages encrypted? RCS, SMS and iPhone chats", "description": "RCS chats between Google Messages users are end-to-end encrypted by default, and iPhone chats are in beta. SMS and MMS are not. Checked at the source.", "parts": [ { "key": "msg", "status": "p", "words": "Partly", "note": "RCS chats between Google Messages users are sealed by default and chats with iPhones are being sealed in a beta, but texts sent as SMS or MMS are not, and your carrier can read them.", "sources": [ 1, 2, 3, 10 ], "label": "Messages" }, { "key": "grp", "status": "p", "words": "Partly", "note": "A group is sealed only when everyone in it uses RCS with encryption; groups that fall back to MMS are not.", "sources": [ 1, 5 ], "label": "Group chats" }, { "key": "call", "status": "na", "words": "Not offered", "note": "Google Messages has no calls of its own: Google's help page says phone calls open your phone app, and video calls go through your carrier or Google Meet.", "sources": [ 11 ], "label": "Calls" }, { "key": "bak", "status": "p", "words": "Partly", "note": "Android's backup seals your texts and chats with your screen lock PIN, pattern or password, but not pictures and videos received by MMS.", "sources": [ 7, 8 ], "label": "Backups" }, { "key": "pq", "status": "x", "words": "Not yet", "note": "No post-quantum protection announced as of 25 October 2026.", "sources": [ 3, 7 ], "label": "Post-quantum" } ], "extra_parts": [], "keys": "For chats with the lock, the keys are made on your phone and the other person's and are never shared with Google; SMS and MMS texts have no such keys.", "can_see": "Even in sealed chats, Google and the carriers can see phone numbers, message times, IP addresses, each person's carrier, device details, and the size of messages and attachments.", "business": null, "fix": { "title": "Keep RCS chats turned on", "steps": [ "Open Google Messages.", "Tap your profile picture › Messages settings › RCS chats.", "Turn RCS chats on.", "In a chat, look for a lock on the send button. No lock means that message isn't sealed." ], "after": "Takes a moment. The other person needs RCS too, and if either of you loses data or Wi-Fi, messages can drop back to SMS, which isn't sealed." }, "fix_line": "Turn on RCS chats: Google Messages › profile picture › Messages settings › RCS chats.", "sections": [ { "id": "is-google-messages-end-to-end-encrypted", "q": "Is Google Messages end-to-end encrypted?", "a": "Yes for RCS chats between Google Messages users, which are upgraded to end-to-end encryption automatically, in one-to-one chats and groups [1]. You can tell by the lock on the send button and the words \"RCS chat with\" at the top of the chat [1][2].\n\nTexts sent as SMS or MMS are never end-to-end encrypted [2]. That happens when the other person doesn't have RCS, or when either of you loses data or Wi-Fi [2][10]. You can check that RCS chats are on in Messages settings [9]." }, { "id": "are-texts-between-android-and-iphone-encrypted", "q": "Are texts between Android and iPhone encrypted?", "a": "They're starting to be. On 11 May 2026, Google and Apple began rolling out end-to-end encrypted RCS between Google Messages and iPhones on iOS 26.5, as a beta [3][4]. It's on by default and is being switched on over time for new and existing chats [3]. The GSMA, which publishes the RCS standard, says neither Apple nor Google can read these messages [6].\n\nIt depends on carriers: Apple says every person's carrier has to support encryption, and its help page still calls the feature a beta as of 25 October 2026 [5]. On an iPhone, a sealed chat shows \"Encrypted\" with a lock at the top [5]." }, { "id": "are-google-messages-backups-encrypted", "q": "Are Google Messages backups encrypted?", "a": "Mostly. Android backs up your texts and RCS chats to your Google Account, and Google says that backup is end-to-end encrypted with your screen lock PIN, pattern or password [7][8]. Pictures and videos received by MMS are not sealed this way [8].\n\nGoogle advises a PIN, pattern or password rather than a swipe, so the backup is protected by something only you know [8]." }, { "id": "can-google-read-my-messages", "q": "Can Google read my Google Messages?", "a": "Not the sealed ones. Google says the keys for those chats are created on your phone and the other person's, and are never shared with Google [2]. Google and the carriers can still see who you message and when, your IP address and the size of messages, Google's technical paper says [7].\n\nSMS and MMS texts aren't sealed at all, so your carrier can read them [2]." } ], "sources": [ { "title": "Use end-to-end encryption in Google Messages", "publisher": "Google Messages Help", "url": "https://support.google.com/messages/answer/10252671?hl=en", "read": "2026-10-25" }, { "title": "How end-to-end encryption in Google Messages provides more security", "publisher": "Google Messages Help", "url": "https://support.google.com/messages/answer/10262381?hl=en", "read": "2026-10-25" }, { "title": "End-to-end encrypted RCS messaging begins rolling out today for Android and iPhone users (11 May 2026)", "publisher": "Google", "url": "https://blog.google/products-and-platforms/platforms/android/android-ios-end-to-end-encrypted-rcs-messaging/", "read": "2026-10-25" }, { "title": "End-to-end encrypted RCS messaging begins rolling out today in beta (11 May 2026)", "publisher": "Apple Newsroom", "url": "https://www.apple.com/newsroom/2026/05/end-to-end-encrypted-rcs-messaging-begins-rolling-out-today-in-beta/", "read": "2026-10-25" }, { "title": "What is the difference between iMessage, RCS, and SMS/MMS?", "publisher": "Apple Support", "url": "https://support.apple.com/en-us/104972", "read": "2026-10-25" }, { "title": "iOS 26.5 brings E2EE for RCS: A new milestone for secure cross-platform messaging (11 May 2026)", "publisher": "GSMA", "url": "https://www.gsma.com/newsroom/press-release/ios-26-5-brings-e2ee-for-rcs-a-new-milestone-for-secure-cross%E2%80%91platform-messaging/", "read": "2026-10-25" }, { "title": "Messages End-to-End Encryption Overview, technical paper version 1.2 (February 2022)", "publisher": "Google", "url": "https://www.gstatic.com/messages/papers/messages_e2ee.pdf", "read": "2026-10-25" }, { "title": "Back up or restore data on your Android device", "publisher": "Android Help", "url": "https://support.google.com/android/answer/2819582?hl=en", "read": "2026-10-25" }, { "title": "Turn on RCS chats in Google Messages", "publisher": "Google Messages Help", "url": "https://support.google.com/messages/answer/7189714?hl=en", "read": "2026-10-25" }, { "title": "Control message delivery", "publisher": "Google Messages Help", "url": "https://support.google.com/messages/answer/10253274?hl=en", "read": "2026-10-25" }, { "title": "Make a phone or video call with Google Messages", "publisher": "Google Messages Help", "url": "https://support.google.com/messages/answer/15814306?hl=en", "read": "2026-10-25" } ], "changes": [ { "date": "2026-10-25", "text": "First published." } ], "related": [ "sms", "imessage", "whatsapp", "signal" ], "url": "https://isitencrypted.com/google-messages/", "checked": "2026-10-25" }