Apple Enhances Age Rating System for the App Store
Apple is upgrading its app age rating framework. On Thursday, the company announced that it will introduce new ratings of 13+, 16+, and 18+, in addition to the existing 4+ and 9+ ratings, while phasing out the 12+ and 17+ categories. Moreover, app developers will now be required to answer a new set of questions about age ratings to better identify sensitive content in their apps. Developers can also modify their app’s age ratings to align with the newly introduced options as needed.
Apple has reported that it has automatically updated all apps and games in the App Store to align with this new rating system, which is currently available in the beta versions of iOS 26, iPadOS 26, macOS Tahoe 26, tvOS 26, visionOS 26, and watchOS 26. Public beta access was launched yesterday, with a full rollout anticipated in September for all users.
As part of the revised guidelines, developers will need to inform Apple about their in-app controls and features, respond to questions related to medical and wellness topics, and indicate whether their app or game contains violent content. Apple will then evaluate and assign the appropriate age rating, which developers can review and adjust in App Store Connect.
The new ratings are designed to offer parents clearer insights regarding the apps their children wish to download and to restrict kids from accessing apps that may not be age-appropriate. Additionally, the App Store will exclude certain apps from being highlighted in areas such as editorial features, Today, Games, and Apps if they are deemed unsuitable for the child using the device.
These expanded age categories are part of a broader initiative aiming at child safety measures introduced earlier this year. To assist parents, Apple is making it easier to set up child accounts and share information about their children’s ages. This information will also be communicated to app developers to help deliver age-appropriate content. (Some updates related to child accounts were first introduced in the public beta of version 18.4, released earlier this year.)
App Store product listings will be updated to offer more detailed information, helping guardians decide whether an app or game is appropriate for their child or teenager. For instance, guardians will be notified if the app includes user-generated content or advertising, both of which might expose younger users to mature material. They will also be informed if an app has built-in parental controls.
Raising an app’s age rating may impact its visibility and distribution, encouraging developers to incorporate parental controls or design age-appropriate experiences.
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These updates to the App Store come amid growing legislative discussions at both state and federal levels regarding online child safety, with U.S. states enacting new laws that require app store operators to verify children’s ages for parental consent on app downloads. While Apple and Google prefer app developers to handle the age-verification process, larger tech firms such as Meta have called for app stores to assume this responsibility.
Apple’s approach proposes a solution that protects children’s personal information, such as birth dates, by providing developers with an API that grants access to age range information necessary for customizing app experiences. As this information would be provided by parents during the setup of a new device, it is likely to be more accurate than if children were to enter their age or birthday directly into an app, where they might misrepresent their age for unrestricted access.
However, for this system to be effective, developers must opt to integrate with the new API.
