Apple is expanding its age rating system for apps. The company said on Thursday it had updated its age rating system to add 13+, 16+ and 18+ ratings to the existing 4+ and 9+ ratings and remove the 12+ and 17+ age groups. Additionally, app developers will be required to answer a new set of age-rated questions to help identify sensitive content in their apps. If desired, developers can also update their app's age rating to one of the new options.
The company said it has automatically updated all apps and games in the App Store to align with the new system, which is available in beta for iOS 26, iPadOS 26, macOS Tahoe 26, tvOS 26, visionOS 26, and watchOS 26. The public beta went live yesterday, and the official version will be rolled out to all customers this September.
As part of the updated system, developers will be required to inform Apple about their in-app controls and app features, answer questions about medical and health topics, and disclose whether their apps or games contain violent themes. Apple will then calculate the appropriate age rating, which developers can view and modify in App Store Connect.
Ratings are designed to provide parents with more specific guidance on which apps their children want to download and to prevent children from installing apps outside their age range. On Apple's side, the App Store will not recommend apps in tabs such as Editorial, Today, Games and Apps if they are not age-appropriate for the children using the device.
The expanded age range is part of a wider update to the Child Safety Plan announced earlier this year. For parents, Apple is making it easier to set up children's accounts and share their children's age information. This data will be shared with app developers to help deliver age-appropriate content. (Some of the changes to child accounts were first rolled out in the 18.4 public beta released earlier this year.)
App Store product listings will also be updated to include more information to help guardians determine whether an app or game is appropriate for their child or teen. For example, guardians will be notified if an app contains user-generated content or advertising, as both of these situations could expose young children to adult content. Additionally, guardians will also receive notifications if the app offers built-in parental controls.
Increasing an app's age rating may reduce its popularity and distribution rates, which may encourage app developers to introduce parental controls or other age-appropriate experiences.
The changes to the App Store come amid growing legislative controversy at the state and federal levels over how to protect children online. Various states in the United States have introduced new bills and laws requiring app store operators to check the age of children to obtain parental consent to download apps. Apple and Google prefer that app developers handle the age verification process themselves, but big tech companies like Meta have lobbied app stores to make age verification their own.
Apple’s solution is a system that protects children’s personal information, such as date of birth, by providing a developer API that gives children access to the age-specific information they need to better customize their app experience. Because this information is provided by parents when setting up a new device, it is more accurate than children entering their birthday or age directly into the app, who may lie about their age in order to get the full app experience.
However, in order to achieve this, developers must choose to integrate with the new API.