Google Messages is taking steps to make it easier for users to identify which of their contacts are using RCS, the messaging standard that offers a more modern and secure experience compared to traditional SMS and MMS. Unlike SMS and MMS, RCS—short for Rich Communication Services—adds a wide range of features to your messaging experience, including things like end-to-end encryption, the ability to see when someone is typing, read receipts, support for high-quality media sharing, and improved group chat functionality. It’s a significant upgrade, and its benefits become even more apparent now that iPhones have also joined the RCS party.
This new compatibility between Android and iOS means users on both platforms can now enjoy seamless messaging that feels more modern and interactive, with features like emoji reactions and clean formatting, rather than relying on outdated SMS layouts that feel clunky and disconnected. Despite these improvements, there’s still been a bit of a challenge around adoption. Unless someone specifically tells you they’ve enabled RCS—or you experiment by messaging them and observing the result—there hasn’t been a straightforward way to know whether someone on your contact list supports RCS.
Recognizing this shortfall, Google appears to be working on a more intuitive solution that aims to make RCS usage status more visible right where you’d want it most: the screen where you start new chats. According to findings shared by Android Authority from a recent beta version of Google Messages, the app is preparing to visibly indicate which of your contacts have RCS enabled directly within the “New conversation” or “Start chat” screen.
This feature is set to add a simple yet effective visual cue to the contact list. Names of those who have RCS enabled will be tagged with an RCS label positioned next to their names, making it easy to spot compatible contacts without having to guess. This label reportedly even includes iPhone users who have adopted RCS, bringing some clarity and convenience to cross-platform conversations.
In cases where a contact has multiple phone numbers saved, the app is expected to show whether RCS is enabled for all of them or just some. Additionally, Google is experimenting with highlighting contact names in a way that aligns with your current app theme—those who have RCS activated will have their names shown in the app’s primary color, while those who don’t will appear in a more neutral color: black in light mode and white in dark mode. This color-coding further simplifies identifying who supports RCS messaging at a glance.
At this stage, the feature isn’t live by default and must be manually activated, so simply updating to the latest beta version of Google Messages won’t guarantee you’ll see it. That said, considering how refined the functionality appears already and how helpful it could be—especially now that RCS is available on iPhones—it wouldn’t be surprising if Google rolls it out more broadly in the near future.