iOS 26.4 and iPadOS 26.4 have a new feature for the UK – age verification. The UK’s Office of Communications (Ofcom) recently ordered social networks (Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat), video sharing sites (YouTube, TikTok) and even games (Roblox) to implement age checks in compliance with the Online Safety Act from 2023.
And now Apple has added age verification too. If you use an Apple device in the UK, you will find that certain services and features are restricted in version 26.4. You need to verify that you are 18 or older using a credit card or by scanning your ID. Apple will try to automatically verify you if possible (e.g. if you already have a credit card associated with your account). You can find more details on the process here.
For those who haven’t verified their age – or are younger than 18 – the Web Content Filter and Communication Safety features will be automatically enabled.
Age verification complete • Without it, you can’t download certain apps (Source 1 • Source 2)
Interestingly, Politico writes that the Online Safety Act does not apply to operating systems or app stores. However, Ofcom is exploring whether it should expand the law to include them – the report on that will be published in January 2027.
Ofcom acknowledged that age verification isn’t required for iOS or the app store, but it certainly didn’t protest Apple’s pre-emptive move. In a response to Engadget, it wrote:
“Apple’s decision that the UK will be one of the first countries in the world to receive new child safety protections on devices is a real win for children and families. Our rules are flexible and designed to encourage innovation, particularly in age assurance. We’ve worked closely with Apple and other services to ensure they can be applied in a variety of contexts in order to ensure users are protected. This will build on the strong foundations of the Online Safety Act, from widespread age checks that keep young people away from harmful content, to blocking high-risk sites and stepping up action against child sexual abuse material.”
You can find more details on the age requirements for managing an Apple Account in the UK here. And if you are not in the UK, you should check out the region-specific rules for child accounts. In Brazil, for example, anyone under 18 has to use a child account. In other regions it’s a requirement for anyone under 13, 14, 15 or 16 (there’s a lot of variation even within the EU). Child accounts have to be a part of a Family Sharing group.
