iOS 18 RCS Message Delivery Status Indicators

With the release of iOS 18, Apple added Rich Communication Services (RCS) support to the Messages app, allowing iPhone users to receive modern delivery confirmations when texting Android users. This guide breaks down the specific visual indicators within the Messages app that confirm an RCS message has been sent, successfully delivered, or read by the recipient.

The "Delivered" Status Label

The primary visual confirmation of a delivered RCS message is the grey "Delivered" text that appears directly beneath the message bubble. While RCS chats still use green bubbles like traditional SMS, standard SMS does not provide delivery confirmations. Seeing "Delivered" under a green bubble confirms that the message successfully reached the recipient's carrier and device via the RCS protocol.

The "Read" Receipt

If the recipient has read receipts enabled on their device, the "Delivered" status automatically updates to "Read" once they open the conversation. Depending on the recipient's carrier and device settings, this status may also include a timestamp indicating the exact time the message was viewed.

In-Transit Indicators

While an RCS message is being processed and transmitted, there will be no status text beneath the bubble. You may also see a thin, animated progress bar at the top of the Messages screen. Once the transmission is complete and acknowledged by the receiving network, the empty space beneath the bubble populates with the "Delivered" indicator.

Delivery Failure Indicators

If an RCS message fails to deliver due to network errors, carrier incompatibility, or device connectivity issues, iOS 18 displays a red exclamation mark icon next to the bubble along with the red label "Not Delivered" underneath. Tapping the exclamation mark gives you the option to retry sending the message or switch to sending it as a standard SMS/MMS.