Google Messages prepares to allow MLS encryption for RCS

Edgar Cervantes / Android Authority

TL;DR

The latest Google Messages beta supports MLS encryption, RCS’s next step toward E2EE interoperability across apps and platforms.
We managed to enable MLS for one-on-one RCS conversations in Google Messages, but we haven’t been able to enable it for RCS group chats yet.
This indicates that MLS encryption support could be on the horizon for Google Messages.

Google announced support for Messaging Layer Security (MLS) encryption in 2023 as a new standard for end-to-end encryption (E2EE) across apps and platforms for one-on-one and group chats. We’ve seen Google Messages take steps to incorporate MLS encryption for RCS to finally enable E2EE interoperability. This dream of E2EE interoperability now seems to be on the horizon, as we have managed to switch on MLS encryption within Google Messages for one-on-one conversations.

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In the latest Google Messages v20250106 beta, we spotted a new flag that handles the MLS encryption protocol:

Code

Copy Textbugle.enable_zinnia_in_conversations

“Zinnia” is the codename for MLS encryption that Google is using within Google Messages. When we played around with the flag, we could enable MLS encryption; as you can see, the encryption protocol value gets set to 1.

AssembleDebug / Android Authority

A value of 0 indicates that the default encryption is being used for RCS, while 1 indicates that MLS is being used.

AssembleDebug / Android Authority

Currently, we can enable MLS encryption only for one-to-one conversations using flags. The value is still set to 0 for group chats, and flipping it to 1 would be the next progress marker to reach.

MLS encryption is currently not available to users within Google Messages. We’ll keep you updated when we learn more.

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