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Last month, Google announced End-to-End encryption (E2EE) would soon be available for RCS messages in its Google Messages app on Android. According to numerous reports, the feature is already rolling out to Google Messages beta testers, which means itll probably show up in the regular version of the app soon.

This is a pretty big deal. Adding E2EE to any form of communication adds an extra layer of security to a conversation, and all the messages and files within it. Encrypted messaging apps arent anything new; E2EE conversations are available in WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger, Apples Messages, Signal, Telegram, and plenty of other apps, but E2EE launching in Google Messages is an important upgrade.

Google Messages supports RCS messages, which are quickly replacing SMS as the standard text messaging protocol. RCS messaging is better than SMS in many ways, but it wasnt until Google developed a universal RCS protocol known as Chat that the technology finally saw widespread adoption. Unlike other RCS protocols, however, Chat lacked E2EE. That was a blow to privacy-minded users and advocates who hoped RCS would be a more secure replacement for SMS.

Worry, no more.

To try out E22EE right now, youll need to enroll in the Google Messages beta program on Android. Otherwise, hang tight, as the feature will roll out to everybody in an upcoming update for the stable version of the app.

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From there, youll need to turn on Chat features in Messages:

Encrypted conversations display a padlock icon next to the delivered tag under the most recently-sent message, and also on the Send button.

Note that Google Messages E2EE only kicks in when both members in a conversation are using the latest version of the app on devices and mobile networks that support RCS messaging (most do). All other conversationsincluding group chatswill be left unencrypted. Its theoretically possible that group-chat encryption could show up in a future Messages update, but Google hasnt indicated such a feature is on the way.

[Android Police]

Read more from the original source:
How to Enable End-to-End Encryption in Google Messages - Lifehacker