Apple’s iOS 18 update brings support for Rich Communication Services (RCS), enhancing text messaging on iPhones and enabling communication with Android users similar to how Apple users interact with each other.
With RCS, iPhone users can enjoy features such as read receipts, high-quality images and videos, typing indicators, and improved group messaging capabilities when communicating with Android users.
Enabling RCS on your iPhone running iOS 18 is a simple process. Here’s how to do it.
Please note that iOS 18 is currently in beta and may not be available on all devices. Follow our guide for downloading and installing iOS 18 if you wish to try it.
How to enable RCS messaging in iOS 18
RCS should be automatically activated on your iPhone with iOS 18. For confirmation, follow these steps:
Step 1: Open the Settings app on your iPhone.
Step 2: Scroll down and select Apps.
Step 3: Choose Messages.
Step 4: Scroll down to Text messaging and select RCS messaging.
Step 5: Toggle RCS messaging to the on position if it’s not already enabled. You can disable RCS messaging by toggling the feature off.
How to tell you are using RCS
Here are a few ways to know if you’re using RCS in iMessage:
Step 1: Even before sending a message, you’ll see “RCS” at the top of the message box when typing a number of a non-Apple device user.
Step 2: Another indication of RCS usage is receiving content like congratulations confetti, which is not possible in older iOS versions.
iOS 18 is set to launch in September alongside the new iPhone 16 series phones.
