Google Messages has made strides in improving user privacy, but it’s important to understand that not all conversations are end-to-end encrypted, despite what the app’s marketing may suggest. While Google does offer end-to-end encryption for some chats, it’s not universally available.
Google Messages uses the RCS (Rich Communication Services) protocol, which, unlike the outdated SMS, supports features like high-res media sharing and group chats. The standout feature of RCS is end-to-end encryption, meaning messages are scrambled and unreadable to anyone who intercepts them, and only the devices in the chat can decrypt them. When encryption is active, messages appear in dark blue, and a lock icon appears next to the send button and timestamp, signaling that your messages are secure.
However, encryption only works when both parties are using RCS and Google Messages. If you’re messaging someone who uses a different messaging app, like Samsung Messages or Textra, end-to-end encryption will not be active. Similarly, although iPhones now support RCS, messages sent from Google Messages to iMessage are not end-to-end encrypted, despite using RCS.
This situation has led to some confusion, especially given that Google’s app description suggests that “conversations are end-to-end encrypted,” which is only true in specific scenarios. Critics, like John Gruber of Daring Fireball, have called out Google for being misleading about the app’s security features. In fact, a more accurate statement would be “Some conversations are end-to-end encrypted,” which would better reflect the conditions under which encryption is enabled.
For those serious about privacy, it may be worth considering platforms like Signal or WhatsApp, which provide end-to-end encryption by default across all users. However, if your contacts mainly use Google Messages and RCS, you’re likely already enjoying encryption for your chats. The GSM Association is also working to bring RCS encryption to iPhones, which could improve security in the future.
