What to Know

Use Contact Key Verification to ensure the person you're texting is not an imposter.
Turn on Advanced Data Protection to secure all iCloud data, including Messages.
Lock the Messages app with Face ID on your iPhone and iPad for extra privacy.

If you want to know how to secure messages on your iPhone, the good news is that you can make sure your messages are private in a few easy steps. We'll cover best practices and features you need to have enabled to best secure your texts.

Use Contact Key Verification to Secure Messages

iMessage offers automatic end-to-end encryption that protects messages sent between Apple devices. But that's not where iMessage protection ends! Contact Key Verification helps secure your messages on your iPhone and ensures you're talking to the right person by assigning a unique code to each Apple ID. This code lets you automatically verify the identity of contacts texting you and allows them to do the same. This way, you won't pass sensitive information, photos, and more on to someone pretending to be a friend, family member, or business associate.

turn on contact key verification

Turn on Two-Factor Authentication

Two-factor Authentication, or 2FA, makes sure that only you can access your Apple account, even if somebody has your Apple ID and password.

Two-Factor Authentication is required for all newer Apple IDs, so you may already have the feature enabled. If you have an older Apple ID and haven't enabled 2FA yet, do so now!

Enable Advanced Data Protection

Do you want your iCloud data (including texts in the Messages app) to be secure? Even from Apple? Then you need Advanced Data Protection! This security feature uses end-to-end encryption to protect your iCloud account from security breaches. The only way to access your iCloud account with Advanced Data Protection enabled is if someone has your Apple ID password. Even then, as long as Two-Factor Authentication is enabled, your Messages should remain safe.

turn on advanced data protection to secure imessage

Lock Your Messages

If you're worried about someone reading your Messages right on your iPhone or iPad, Face or Touch ID is the solution. You can use Face ID to lock apps on an iPhone, including Messages, in just a few easy steps.

use face id to secure messages on iphone

Use Encrypted Apps When Texting with Android Devices

The methods above are great when you're messaging another iPhone user. But what if you're texting with somebody who uses an Android? Rich Communication Services, or RCS, makes texting between iPhones and Androids a smoother experience. The downside is that RCS messages are not end-to-end encrypted like iMessage. And turning off RCS won't solve this problem because SMS messages don't offer end-to-end encryption. So, where does that leave us? At this time, the best practice is to download and use a third-party, end-to-end encrypted app like WhatsApp or Signal and use it whenever you need to send or receive messages from Android users.

Now you know some of the best practices and features to secure Messages on your iPhone and iPad! If you found these tips helpful and informative, subscribe to our free Tip of the Day newsletter for more great privacy and security tutorials.

FAQ

How do I lock my Apple ID with a key? You can use a security key to lock your Apple ID. You'll need two security keys, then insert one or hold it against the top of your iPhone.
How can I protect my iPhone from cyberattacks? You can put your iPhone in Lockdown mode to protect against cyberattacks. To do this, open the Settings app, tap Privacy & Security, then tap and turn on Lockdown mode.
What other ways are there to secure my iPhone? You can do several things to secure your iPhone, including using a unique iPhone passcode and turning on Find My for all devices.

Top image credit: Eudaimonic Traveler / Shutterstock.com