Apple broadens App Store’s age-rating system

Apple has officially expanded its age-rating system for apps on the App Store, introducing more granular categories to enhance child safety and parental guidance. The significant update, announced recently by the tech giant, modifies the existing rating structure to better reflect app content for various age groups.

The revised system now includes 13+, 16+, and 18+ ratings, supplementing the existing 4+ and 9+ options. Concurrently, the 12+ and 17+ age ranges have been removed to streamline the classifications. This change necessitates app developers to complete a new set of age-rating questions, designed to pinpoint sensitive content within their applications. Developers are also provided with the flexibility to update their apps’ age ratings to align with the new options as required.

Apple has confirmed that all existing apps and games across the App Store have been automatically updated to conform to this new system. The updated ratings are currently accessible in the beta versions of iOS 26, iPadOS 26, macOS Tahoe 26, tvOS 26, visionOS 26, and watchOS 26. Following yesterday’s public beta release, the general rollout for all customers is anticipated this September.

Under the updated framework, developers are now mandated to furnish detailed information about their app’s in-app controls and capabilities. This includes answering specific questions concerning medical and wellness topics, and explicitly disclosing if their app or game contains violent themes. Apple will then use this information to calculate the appropriate age rating, which developers can review and adjust via App Store Connect.

The primary objective of these enhanced ratings is to empower parents with more precise guidance regarding the apps their children wish to download, thereby preventing access to content beyond their suitable age range. Furthermore, Apple’s App Store will adapt its featuring algorithms, ensuring that editorial stories, and content within the Today, Games, and Apps tabs are age-appropriate for the child using the device.

These expanded age ranges are a core component of Apple’s broader child safety initiatives announced earlier this year. Apple is simplifying the process for parents to establish child accounts and share age-related information, which will be communicated to app developers to facilitate age-appropriate content delivery. Some enhancements for child accounts were initially rolled out in the public beta of iOS 18.4 earlier in the year.

App Store product listings will also undergo updates to provide guardians with more comprehensive information, aiding their decision-making process. This includes disclosing whether an app features user-generated content or advertisements, which might expose younger users to adult themes, and whether it offers built-in parental controls.

A potential consequence of an increased age rating is a reduction in an app’s visibility and distribution. This could serve as an incentive for app developers to implement parental controls or design more age-appropriate experiences, aligning with Apple’s commitment to user safety.

These App Store modifications come at a time of escalating legislative debate at both state and federal levels in the U.S., concerning the online protection of children. Many states are introducing new bills and laws that would mandate app store operators to verify children’s ages and secure parental consent for app downloads. While companies like Apple and Google generally prefer app makers to handle age-verification, larger tech entities such as Meta have lobbied for app stores to take on this verification responsibility.

Apple’s proposed solution involves a developer API, which grants app makers access to age range information while safeguarding a child’s personal data, such as their birth date. This approach leverages age information provided by parents during device setup, aiming for greater accuracy than self-reported ages by children who might misrepresent their age to gain access. However, the efficacy of this system hinges on developers opting to integrate with the new API.