iOS 18 RCS Support Ends Compressed Photo Sharing Between Android and iPhone, Guide Shows
A guide from Engadget details how iOS 18 brings RCS support to iPhone, restoring high-quality image and video sharing from Android, with steps to enable RCS and avoid compression.
The guide explains that iPhone users can verify RCS is enabled by going to Settings > Apps > Messages and checking that the RCS Messaging toggle is green. iOS 18 turns RCS on by default, but users can confirm their settings to ensure they receive the higher image quality available through RCS.
On the Android side, Engadget recommends using Google Messages and pressing the HD or HD+ button before sending media. Users should select 'HD+ Original Quality' rather than 'HD Optimized for Chat' to avoid compression. Even with RCS, Google Messages compresses photos unless the HD option is adjusted.
For videos and larger files, the article suggests using Google Photos or Google Drive. With Google Photos, users can select 'Send in Google Photos' to share full-quality images with other app users. Google Drive also provides an option for transferring large files between different smartphone brands.
The guide also notes that Android's Quick Share now supports AirDrop on certain Pixel and Samsung devices, allowing direct transfer. For incompatible Android phones, tapping 'Use QR Code' in Quick Share lets an iPhone user scan a code to receive content, though this option is more limited in range.