Apple Updates App Store Age Ratings, Requires Developer Data by 2026

Apple has updated its App Store age ratings, introducing new categories such as Age 4+, 9+, 13+, 16+, and 18+, replacing previous labels like 12+ and 17+ to better guide parents in selecting age-appropriate apps. These changes are already visible in beta versions of iOS 26 and macOS Tahoe 26. Alongside this, Apple has mandated that all app developers provide detailed age rating information through a new questionnaire similar to the privacy nutrition labels implemented in 2020. Developers must submit this age rating data by January 31, 2026, and while they can increase an app's assigned age rating, they are prohibited from lowering it. This move is part of Apple's broader initiative to enhance child safety and age verification, which also includes parental control enhancements and follows regulatory pressures such as Utah's 2025 law requiring age verification. Apple's comprehensive approach is outlined in their White Paper and aims to shift some responsibility for age verification onto the platform providers, responding to calls from social media companies and regulators.