Apple Just Changed App Store Age Ratings: Here’s What’s New

Apple is tightening up how it handles age ratings on the App Store. If you’re a developer or a parent keeping an eye on what your kids can access, there’s a lot changing quitely. This update is all about giving users, especially parents, a better control while nudging developers to be more responsible.

More Specific Age Ratings: 13+, 16+, and 18+ Added

Until now, App Store age ratings were pretty broad: 4+, 9+, 12+, and 17+. But that’s changing. Apple has now introduced three new age brackets: 13+, 16+, and 18+. These updated ratings are already live on devices running the latest betas of iOS 26, macOS Tahoe 26, and other Apple platforms.

The new system offers more granularity and lets developers better align their apps with age-appropriate content. Importantly, these ratings vary by country based on regional content standards.

Automatic Re-Rating and Manual Overrides

Apple has already reassigned age ratings automatically using developers’ existing questionnaire responses. But if the new rating doesn’t match your app’s intended audience, you can manually change it via App Store Connect.

There’s also a new option: if your app has its own policy requiring users to be older than Apple’s rating, you can now set a higher minimum age yourself.

Apple is reminding developers to consider all app features, including AI chatbots and virtual assistants, when evaluating sensitive content. This means that even if your app looks kid-friendly on the surface, but your AI feature can surface adult or controversial topics, it needs the right rating.

Developers Must Answer New Questions by January 31, 2026

Alongside the new ratings, Apple has added four new required questions to the age rating questionnaire:

• Does your app include in-app controls (like parental filters)?
• Does it include special capabilities (like social sharing or account creation)?
• Does it touch on medical or wellness topics?
• Are there violent themes in your app or game?

These questions help Apple assign a more accurate rating. Developers have until January 31, 2026 to fill them out. After that, if you haven’t completed the form, your app updates will be blocked in App Store Connect.

Still Bound by COPPA, GDPR, and App Review Guidelines

None of this overrides Apple’s existing policies. Apps still need to follow local laws like the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA) in the US, and the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) in the EU. App Review Guidelines also continue to apply, especially rules around objectionable and user-generated content.

In short, Apple wants the App Store to be more trustworthy – not just for parents, but for everyone. And it’s now placing more responsibility on developers to make that happen.