Apple began blocking downloads of apps rated 18+ in Australia, Brazil, and Singapore on February 24, 2026, unless users can confirm they are adults, the company announced. The move, impacting developers across those markets, is part of a broader effort to comply with evolving age assurance regulations, including novel laws in Utah and Louisiana within the United States.
The restrictions require Apple to verify the age of users attempting to download mature content through “reasonable methods,” according to a statement released by the company. Even as the App Store will automatically handle age confirmation, developers may likewise be required to independently verify user ages, particularly in Australia, Brazil, and Singapore. Apple is providing developers with updates to the Declared Age Range API to assist with this process.
In Brazil, the changes extend beyond age verification to include apps offering loot boxes. Any app identified as containing loot boxes through the age rating questionnaire will automatically receive an 18+ rating on the Brazilian App Store, preventing access for younger users. Developers can access a user’s age category, when the user or a parent/guardian consents to share it, and Apple will also provide a signal indicating the method of age assurance used.
The rollout of these measures coincides with upcoming regulations in Utah and Louisiana. Starting May 6, 2026, new Apple Accounts in Utah will be subject to age verification through the Declared Age Range API, and Louisiana will follow suit on July 1, 2026. The API will share age categories with developers when requested, allowing them to restrict access to age-inappropriate apps.
Apple has updated the Declared Age Range API, currently in beta, to assist developers determine whether age-related regulatory requirements apply to a user and whether age range sharing is necessary. The company is also implementing a new notice informing parents when an app downloaded by a child receives a major update requiring parental permission, even if initial permission was granted.
The changes are intended to address growing concerns about children’s access to potentially harmful content and to align with increasingly stringent data privacy regulations globally. Apple’s developer documentation indicates that the company is actively working to provide tools that balance user privacy with regulatory compliance.
