Google has officially begun to roll out the much-anticipated ability for Android users to edit Rich Communication Services (RCS) messages sent to iPhone users. This remarkable feature, previously unavailable for cross-platform messaging, is made possible by the new Universal Profile 3.0 specification. Users can now long-press on a sent message within a 15-minute window to edit and resend it, transforming the way users interact across these popular operating systems.
For many years, the experience of text messaging between Android and iOS devices has been fraught with challenges. However, thanks to the implementation of Rich Communication Services (RCS), this situation is rapidly improving. RCS significantly enhances the text messaging experience by allowing features such as high-quality media sharing, read receipts, and typing indicators. While some features were initially absent when cross-platform RCS was launched last year, both Google and Apple have been working to bridge these gaps.
The ability to edit a message sent from an Android phone to an iPhone is finally being rolled out to users. Previously, iPhone users could edit iMessages sent to one another, and Android users had enjoyed similar capabilities for about a year when messaging each other via RCS. However, when Google first introduced this feature, it was not part of the official RCS specification. Apple based its implementation on the earlier Universal Profile 2.4, which did not include the message editing feature.
This changed earlier this year when the GSM Association unveiled the Universal Profile 3.0 specification, which supports both message editing and end-to-end encryption. Now, several users, including myself, have begun receiving this exciting new functionality, allowing us to long-press a sent message and reveal a pencil icon. Tapping this icon populates the reply box with the original message, enabling easy edits before resending.
As of now, this feature is functional for users sending RCS messages to iPhone users operating on the latest stable release of iOS 18.5 and the iOS 26 beta, in both individual and group chats, as long as they are within the current 15-minute editing window. While the feature works seamlessly on the Android side, edited messages appear as new messages on iPhones, prefixed with an asterisk. Additionally, iPhone users still lack the ability to edit RCS messages sent to Android users. For full support, Apple will likely need to update its Messages app, although there is no confirmation on when this will occur.
The rollout of the ability to edit RCS messages sent to iPhone users is still in its early stages and is not widely available in Google Messages. Reports of this feature emerging have been limited, with only a few users, including myself, having experienced it. Google seems to be A/B testing the feature with beta users, implying that a broader release could take some time.
As we look forward, many users hope for full support for message editing to coincide with the anticipated cross-platform end-to-end encryption feature that Apple and Google have pledged to introduce this year. This would undoubtedly elevate the messaging experience for users across both platforms.
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