Google Messages End to End Encryption announced for One-to-One RCS Chats

Google has recently displayed the Android 12 to a global audience, following which a bunch of updates are coming to the company's mobile operating system. One of the most recent announcements is about Google Messages App. Along with a new feature to star important messages, the announcement also talks about Google Messages End to End encryption being available globally. Read more to know about Google’s Android update and the new feature in Google Messages App.

Google Messages End to End Encryption

Rolled out in beta last November, Google Messages end to end encryption is now available to all users who have enabled RCS. An end to end encrypted message cannot be accessed by any third party or Google itself. It can only be stored by Google before it is decrypted by the receiver. However, both the sender and the receiver shall use Google Messages with enabled Chat features, or else the encryption would not work. For enabling the end to end encryption, a user must turn on Chat Features by following the steps given below. A lock icon on the send button indicates that the messages are encrypted. It is a good privacy setting for users who want to use Google Messages on their Android device. 

"End-to-end encryption in Messages helps keep your conversations more secure while sending. It ensures that no one can read the content of your messages as they travel between your phone and the phone of the person you’re messaging" as mentioned in a blog post on Android's official website.   

What is new with Chat Features in Google Messages?

• Users can send messages with mobile data and Wi-Fi
• Group conversations can be created 
• The Google Messages app informs when another person is typing, like in WhatsApp
• Read receipts let other people know when a message was delivered and read
• High-quality images can be shared 

How to enable RCS on Android Device? 

• Download and open Google Messages 
• In the upper right corner, tap on the hamburger menu
• Go to 'settings' 
• Select 'Chat Features' and tap on 'Yes, I'm in
• Enter the mobile number which will be linked to Google messages 
• Post verification, a user can access the Chat features in settings

IMAGE: ANDROID WEBSITE