Apple is adding a new warning about malicious iMessages in iOS 26.6, according to X user @limpless_skelly, who shared a mockup of the notification.
The pop-up will warn users that a message could be trying to harm their iPhone or compromise their privacy. Apple asks users to share the message so it can guard against future attacks, and there are "Not Now," "Share With Apple," and "Don't Report" options to tap. Not Now likely causes the pop-up to surface again at a later time.
New in iOS 26.6 Beta 5: Apple is adding a new "Malicious Message Detected" feature. If iOS detects a potentially malicious message, you'll be warned and can choose to share it with Apple to help investigate the attack and improve future protections. pic.twitter.com/NAVzs528So — (@limpless_skelly) July 13, 2026
The actual alert hasn't been seen yet, but code in iOS 26.6 beta 5 confirms that it is indeed in the beta. It's not yet clear what messages will cause it to appear, but it could be a response to sophisticated exploits and phishing attempts in the Messages app. Apple added a "BlastDoor" sandbox security system to Messages in iOS 14, but in 2021, there was a zero-click iMessage exploit that was able to circumvent it and install spyware on the target device. Apple has since added Lockdown Mode and iMessage Contact Key Verification for extra security, along with spam message filtering.
Unfortunately, the alert looks similar to some of the fake scam pop-ups that show up in Safari, which could confuse iPhone users.
Apple has released five betas of iOS 26.6 so far, and it's nearing a public launch. We're expecting the update to come out sometime around the end of July.
