How To Remove Lock Symbol On Text Message

By Super Admin March 20, 2024

On your Android phone, are you texting someone when you notice a lock message within or close to the discussion thread? When something like this happens for the first time recently. If you are unsure of what it represents, it might be perplexing to witness.

The lock sign is, however, what? Should you be concerned about it? This article should assist you if you are unsure of what this lock icon means or how to remove lock symbol on text messages! This tutorial will explain the many approaches. You may take to do this and give some troubleshooting tips for any problems you might run across.

What does lock symbol on text message mean?

On communications that have end-to-end encryption, a lock icon is displayed. Within the Google communications app, this capability is accessible for RCS communications. In 2021, end-to-end encryption was added to the Google Messages app to increase the security of texting on Android devices. Every time you send a message and the lock icon appears, end-to-end encryption is in place.

The communications are end-to-end encrypted even if your phone does not enable the RCS chat capability but you continue to see the lock icon.

On devices that do not support the RCS chat functionality. The conversations have been locked and can’t be removed without permission. This is shown by the lock sign on the text messages.

Why is there a lock symbol on my text?

This function only operates when You have a phone with RCS, or “rich communication services,” available. RCS, which provides several updates and improvements over conventional SMS. It is designed to replace the latter, which has been in use for decades.The recipient of your message likewise has a smartphone running Android with RCS turned on. For this reason, you could only notice the lock icon while speaking with particular individuals, for instance.

Like Apple’s iMessage, the RCS encryption function essentially serves to increase the security of texts. Therefore, the lock symbol is present to let you know when it’s active for a particular discussion.

What Exactly Does Encryption Mean?

In discussions of current technology, particularly when it involves security-related topics, the phrase “encryption” is frequently used. What does it imply, though, exactly? It functions essentially as a tool for obscuring data so that it is unreadable. Consider if you and the other individual you are speaking to share a secret language. Even if someone were to listen in on your discussion and read the contents. They wouldn’t be able to grasp what was being said.

Data is scrambled when an encrypted communication is delivered. And making it impossible for anybody to read or understand it, not even your cellular carrier. The recipient then decrypts the message using a “key” that is saved on their device, enabling them to read it normally. Therefore, it enables you to send and receive messages more safely, preventing third parties from viewing the contents of the message even if they so desired.

How to remove lock on text messages?

Disabling end-to-end encryption will make it possible for you to remove the lock icon from Text Messages.

When you or your buddy switch off RCS chat on their smartphone, this will occur. By following the instructions below, you may disable RCS chat:

Visit the Google Messages application.
At the upper right, you’ll notice the Account symbol; tap it.
Select Messages Settings from the drop-down list that appears.
Tap General here, followed by RCS Chats.
Next, deactivate the switch adjacent to the RCS Chats option. This will make the functionality inoperable.

When RCS Chats are turned off, you’ll see that the lock symbol on the messages has vanished. And denoting that end-to-end encryption is no longer enabled for text communications.

But if you want to enable this icon, then we help you here to guide how you can enable it. Your smartphone must enable RCS chat for end-to-end encryption to work on the Google Messages app. End-to-end text message encryption requires that both you and the individual with whom you are attempting to talk with have an RCS chat capability.

How to enable the lock icon next to text message?

Enabling end-to-end encryption for text communications is done as follows:

Launch Google Messages.
The Account icon is located in the upper right corner.
Now click the Messages Settings menu item.
Select the General tab under Settings.
Tap RCS Chats from here.
The choice will be shown. Activate RCS Chats. Toggle this on to enable RCS Chats.

Ask your buddy to activate RCS Chats by doing the same. You will notice a lock symbol on the messages. When you communicate via texts on the Google Messages app once you and your buddy have enabled the RCS conversations functionality. This indicates that text messages can now use end-to-end encryption.

How to confirm the enabling of lock icon?

Following the instructions below will allow you to confirm that you have end-to-end encryption:

Tap on the discussion you wish to check in the Google Messages app after starting it.
Check your emails after that to check whether they have a lock icon.
If the lock symbol appears, choose More, then choose Details.
Click the option to verify encryption.
On the display, a code will appear, and your buddy will see it as well.

Check the code with your friend to make sure you both have the same one. End-to-end encryption is activated for both of you if you have the same code.

How to remove lock symbol on text message Android?

To unlock text messages that you unintentionally locked on your Android device, apply the technique described below. The only method to get rid of the lock sign and be able to erase the text message normally is to unlock it.

Open the messaging app where the locked message is located in step one. Not simply the discussion it appears in, but also the actual message must be found.
Locate the text message which is locked and show the lock icon in step two. Since it is going to be the sole device showing the lock icon, it will be simple to find.
Press and hold the lock icon on the text communication until a menu is displayed. This option won’t show up until you press and hold the text message for a few seconds.
Select Unlock from this menu by tapping it. In this menu, for already-locked text messages, the unlock option takes the place of the lock option.

After doing this, the lock icon will no longer be shown and you can erase the wrap text message at your leisure. Once your smartphone has been locked. There is no other way to get rid of the lock sign from your SMS messages than by doing this.

Conclusion

In summary, when you see a lock icon on a text message. It usually signifies that the entire communication has been encrypted. This may also imply that the message cannot be removed on some phone types. But if you don’t like it, then you must know how to remove lock symbol on text messages. You may choose to turn off RCS in your phone’s settings. Which will also turn off the encryption that protects your communications.

This post should have been beneficial to you and should have addressed all of your inquiries. Please post any further inquiries you may have regarding texting on Android in the comments section. And we’ll be delighted to assist.