Apple expands app age checks in UK and rolls out 18+ download gating in Australia, Brazil, Singapore

Apple is rolling out new age-verification and “age assurance” features as governments tighten online child-safety rules. In the UK, iOS 26.4 beta adds a Settings prompt that asks whether a user is 18+, with verification sometimes happening automatically and other times requiring a credit card or a photo ID scan. AppleInsider and user reports say the feature is showing up first in UK builds, in line with requirements tied to the UK’s Online Safety Act. Separately, Apple told developers it will start blocking downloads of 18+ rated apps in Australia, Brazil, and Singapore unless a user’s age is confirmed through “reasonable methods.” It’s also expanding tools meant to help developers meet regional compliance obligations. Apple is updating its Declared Age Range API so apps can request age-category signals without necessarily collecting a birthdate, and says the API will add signals about whether regulations apply and whether parental permission is required for significant updates for child accounts. Taken together, the changes are meant to make age-appropriate access easier to enforce across app stores and apps, while leaning on privacy-preserving “range” or “category” signals instead of sharing exact ages—an approach that could limit data collection even as compliance requirements rise.