Messages on iOS 26 will make it harder to fall for phishing scams

While even tech-savvy users can fall for elaborate phishing scams, most attacks are designed to target less technically inclined people.

With that in mind, the new Messages app in iOS 26 introduces (or better yet, removes) two things that could make a pretty big difference in keeping users safe, regardless of how familiar they may be with phishing tactics.

The new Messages app splits conversations into a few categories, accessible via the filter button in the top right: Messages, Unknown Senders, Spam, and Recently Deleted.

The ‘Messages’ view includes your regular chats with contacts, as well as things like verification codes and reservation confirmations. Meanwhile, ‘Unknown Senders’ and ‘Spam’ messages won’t trigger notifications.

Users can manually turn on or off filtering for both ‘Unknown Senders’ and ‘Spam’, with each filter controlled separately from the ‘Manage Filtering’ option in the top-right menu.

In the ‘Unknown Senders’ folder, users can choose to “Mark as Known” any conversations from contacts they know and trust. And while Apple notes that messages from unknown senders may be automatically marked as spam, messages in the ‘Spam’ folder can be moved back to the main Messages view, with the option to report the number to Apple as not spam.

Messages has two weapons against phising spam

All of that said, Apple is applying two specific restrictions to messages in the ‘Spam’ folder, which will make it harder to fall for potentially malicious texts.

1. Links are disabled. This means that any phone numbers or external URLs contained in the message won’t be readily tappable. That alone could help prevent the user from accidentally calling a scam service or landing on a malicious website with a single tap.
2. Users can’t reply to messages in the Spam folder, which makes it harder to engage with a potential scammer. And while it’s easy to move a message from ‘Spam’ back to the main Messages view, that small bit of friction can go a long way in helping users avoid accidentally falling for a phishing attempt.

What else is new with Messages on iOS 26?

The new Messages app now supports polls, including the option to have Apple Intelligence suggest a poll based on the context of your conversation.

Typing indicators are now available in group chats, and users can also set a custom chat background. Backgrounds can be chosen from the photo library or generated using Image Playground.

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