Google Messages rolls out new chat themes and encrypted RCS for iPhone in June 2026

At a glance:

• Google Messages introduces customizable chat themes and wallpapers in beta.
• End‑to‑end encrypted RCS between Android and iPhone rolls out with iOS 26.5 across major U.S. carriers.
• Samsung Messages will be discontinued in July, pushing users to Google Messages on Android 14+.

Beta features rolling out

Google Messages is testing a new ‘Chat theme’ option that replaces the older ‘Change colors’ menu, letting users pick from nine bubble‑color presets and a dynamic option that follows the chat background. The wallpaper picker adds nine curated collections such as Animals, Architecture, Black & White, Cityscapes, Landscapes, Macro, Space, Sunsets, and Textures, plus the ability to upload a personal image. A red badge will appear on the three‑dot overflow menu when the feature reaches a device.

The beta also brings a redesigned long‑press menu that blurs the background and provides haptic feedback, a revised read‑receipt layout that moves timestamps and the encryption lock to a swipe‑left gesture, and upcoming iOS 27 support for inline replies with quotes and true emoji photo reactions in Android‑iPhone RCS chats. These changes are currently limited to the beta channel and have not yet reached stable releases.

Stable launches and UI tweaks

The stable channel now ships a bolder voice‑message button that adopts a stronger accent color, a ‘Tap to draft’ toggle that places Smart Replies into the compose field for editing before sending, and a fix that makes the Selfie GIF option appear consistently in the attachment menu as of version 20260428_00_RC02. These refinements aim to reduce accidental sends and improve muscle‑memory reliability.

Additional stable improvements include a streamlined camera and gallery icon, a larger Gemini floating action button, and a redesigned link preview that loads faster on low‑bandwidth connections. Together they polish the everyday messaging experience without altering core protocol behavior.

Encrypted RCS expansion and carrier support

Apple’s iOS 26.5 release on May 11 introduced end‑to‑end encrypted RCS for conversations between Android and iPhone users, displaying the familiar lock icon in Google Messages and a ‘Text Message · RCS | Encrypted’ banner in Apple’s Messages app. Encryption is enabled automatically for new and existing RCS threads as carriers complete their rollout.

Supported U.S. carriers now include AT&T, Boost Mobile, C Spire, Cellcom Wisconsin, Consumer Cellular, Cox Mobile, Cricket, Family Mobile, FirstNet, Metro by T‑Mobile, Mint Mobile, Nex‑Tech Wireless, PureTalk, Red Pocket, Spectrum, Strata, T‑Mobile USA, TracFone / Straight Talk, Ultra Mobile, US Cellular, Verizon Wireless, Visible, and Xfinity Mobile. Google advises users to keep Google Messages updated to benefit from the protection.

Samsung Messages discontinuation and Messages for web changes

Samsung announced that its Messages app will be discontinued in the United States this July, with Android 14+ devices automatically moving Google Messages into the home‑screen dock after the migration. The move consolidates RCS handling under Google’s client and simplifies support for carriers.

At the same time, Messages for web is dropping QR‑code pairing in favor of mandatory Google Account sign‑in; the QR method remains available as of late April but will be retired in a future update. This shift aligns the web client with Google’s broader identity‑based authentication strategy.