Android users can now edit text messages sent to iPhones through Google Messages, marking the first time cross-platform message editing has become available between the two operating systems. The feature, which began rolling out Tuesday, allows users to modify Rich Communication Services (RCS) messages within a 15-minute window after sending them to iPhone recipients.
The capability represents a step toward messaging parity between Android and iOS, though implementation remains incomplete. When Android users edit messages sent to iPhones, the edited text appears as a new message preceded by an asterisk rather than replacing the original, according to Android Authority.
Google is gradually releasing the editing function to Messages users, with the rollout expected to take several weeks1. Users can access the feature by long-pressing a sent message to reveal a pencil icon, which opens the original text for editing and resending23.
The feature operates on both individual and group chats for iPhone users running iOS 18.5 and the iOS 26 beta4. However, iPhone users cannot edit messages they send to Android devices, as Apple's Messages app lacks support for RCS message editing53.
"iPhone users cannot edit messages sent to Android smartphones and this is unlikely to change until Apple updates its Messages app," reports Gadgets 3605.
The editing capability stems from the GSM Association's Universal Profile 3.0 specification, introduced earlier this year1. Previous RCS implementations used Universal Profile 2.4, which did not include message editing functionality.
According to Android Authority, the feature was previously unavailable for cross-platform messaging because "when Google first launched this feature on Android, it wasn't part of the official RCS specification"1. Apple's RCS implementation followed the official standard at the time, creating the compatibility gap.
Google is conducting limited testing of the feature, with TechRadar noting that "texts sent from iOS to Android can't yet be edited"2.
Apple introduced RCS support to iOS in 2024 with iOS 18, five years after Google Messages adopted the standard in 20191. The delay meant Android-to-iPhone messaging relied on outdated SMS technology that lacked features like high-quality media sharing and read receipts.
Cross-platform RCS has gradually expanded functionality since Apple's adoption, though messages between the platforms remain unencrypted1. Apple and Google have pledged to support end-to-end encryption for cross-platform RCS messaging, though no timeline has been announced2.
The editing feature's uneven implementation underscores the ongoing challenges in achieving full messaging compatibility between the platforms, with iPhone users receiving edited Android messages as separate communications rather than seamless updates.
