- Google is launching a new text archiving feature for Pixel phones
- It allows companies to comply with regulations in case of legal disputes
- However, since every text is archived, your boss may be able to read what you say
Do you have a Google Pixel phone provided by the company you work for? If so, your boss may soon be able to read your RCS messages thanks to an upcoming change to the Google Messages app on Android.
As detailed in a Google blog post, the Android RCS Archival feature will let enterprise-managed Pixel phones (and “other compatible Android Enterprise devices”) integrate third-party archiving apps into Google Messages, allowing them to back up every text that passes through. It includes both sent and received messages as well as texts that are edited or deleted.
The move is made to help companies comply with strict rules regarding registration and legal requests that may involve employee communications. Right now, Google says archive providers Celltrust, Smarsh and 3rd Eye are on board, with “more archive apps coming soon in 2026”.
Before the introduction of Android RCS Archival, it could be difficult for companies to comply with these rules due to the end-to-end encryption features built into RCS, which meant that messages sent between devices could not be read by anyone other than their senders and receivers. Companies relied on carriers to log messages that might be needed in the event of a legal dispute or data request, but with end-to-end encryption, they couldn’t do that.
Why it happens
With Android RCS Archival, logging is made much easier. It also means businesses can use RCS and all its modern features – like read receipts, key indicators and more – instead of having to rely on the older, less capable SMS and MMS platforms.
But since every message is harvested and archived, it raises concerns that your boss might be able to read every text you typed into Google Messages on your work phone.
Still, it’s done in a fairly transparent way, as Google says that “Employees will see a clear notification on their device when the archiving feature is active.” This means there shouldn’t be any sneaky logging going on that you’re not aware of. Archiving is done directly on each device and not also in the cloud, which means end-to-end encryption is preserved.
Still, since there’s a chance that every message you write can be read by your boss, you might want to call off those snarky comments when you use your work phone—or start looking at one of the best secure smartphones.
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