Apple will begin blocking downloads of apps rated 18+ in Australia, Brazil, and Singapore, effective today, February 24, 2026, unless users can be verified as adults. The move is part of a broader effort by the company to comply with evolving age-assurance regulations globally, including modern laws in the United States.
The company detailed the changes in a notice to developers, too announcing updates to its Declared Age Range API, now available in beta. The API allows developers to obtain a user’s age category with consent, and will also provide information about the method of age assurance used. In Brazil, developers can leverage the API to determine a user’s age group if the user, or a parent or guardian, agrees to share that information. The API will also signal the age assurance method employed.
Apple’s App Store will automatically confirm adult age for downloads in the three countries, but developers were cautioned they may still have independent compliance obligations. The updated Declared Age Range API is intended to assist with these requirements, providing a signal regarding a user’s age.
Further complicating matters for developers in Brazil, apps identifying as containing “loot boxes” through the age rating questionnaire will automatically receive an 18+ rating on the Brazil storefront. This reflects concerns from lawmakers regarding the potential for gambling-like mechanics to be accessible to children.
The changes extend to the United States, with new regulations taking effect in Utah and Louisiana. Starting May 6, 2026, in Utah, and July 1, 2026, in Louisiana, age categories will be shared with developers’ apps when requested through the Declared Age Range API for new Apple Accounts. Apple has expanded its tools, including the Significant Change API under PermissionKit, a new age rating property type in StoreKit, and App Store Server Notifications, to facilitate compliance in these states.
The Significant Change API, currently in beta, allows developers to present significant update notifications to adults in Utah and Louisiana. Developers are required to adhere to Human Interface Guidelines and provide clear descriptions of updates. The Declared Age Range API will also indicate whether age-related regulatory requirements apply to a user and if parental permission is needed for significant app updates for children.
