Apple rolls out global age-verification system to meet online child safety rules

Apple has announced the worldwide rollout of new age-verification tools across its platforms. The tools are designed to help developers comply with an expanding web of child safety laws. The update also brings enhancements to the Declared Age Range API, now available in beta. This enable the apps to determine a user’s age category and also receive signals about the method of age assurance. “Today we’re providing an update on the tools available for developers to meet their age assurance obligations under upcoming U.S. and regional laws, including in Brazil, Australia, Singapore, Utah, and Louisiana. Updates to the Declared Age Range API are now available in beta for testing,” said Apple.

Regional requirements

Starting February 24, 2026, Apple will block users in Australia, Brazil, and Singapore from downloading apps rated 18+ unless they are confirmed to be adults. For developers distributing their apps in Brazil, if you identify your app as containing loot boxes through the age rating questionnaire, the age rating of your app on the Brazil storefront will be updated to 18+. In the US, this new rule will apply in Utah (from May 6, 2026) and Louisiana (from July 1, 2026), requiring developers to use Apple’s APIs to verify age categories and, in some cases, obtain parental consent for significant app updates.

Developer tools

The expanded toolkit for developers include

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• li1Declared Age Range API for age signals and parental permissions
• li1Significant Change API under PermissionKit
• li1New age rating property type in StoreKit
• li1App Store Server Notifications for compliance tracking

“Developers can use the Declared Age Range API to present significant update notifications to adults in these states through the Significant Update Action, now in beta. When releasing a significant update, developers must follow the Human Interface Guidelines and provide users with a meaningful description of the update,” added Apple.