Apple overhauls App Store age ratings with new categories
- Apple introduces new 13+, 16+, and 18+ age categories to the App Store rating system.
- App and game ratings are now automatically updated across upcoming iOS, iPadOS, macOS, and other Apple platforms.
- New age ratings reflect region-specific standards for more accurate content suitability.
Stay Informed
Get Industry News In Your Inbox…
Sign Up Today
Apple has updated the App Store’s age rating system to offer more detailed and accurate ratings.
App Store’s app and game ratings have been automatically updated to align with the new age rating system, now visible on devices running beta versions of Apple’s upcoming OS releases.
The system introduces new 13+, 16+, and 18+ categories alongside the existing 4+ and 9+ ratings, with age ratings varying by country or region to reflect local standards.
Apple said the new age rating questions will help flag sensitive content to improve safety and trust for users of all ages. Developers can now also set a higher minimum age requirement for their apps.
Improving safety
The new set of required questions for the App Store ratings questionnaire covers in-app controls, capabilities, medical or wellness topics, and violent themes.
The iPhone maker said developers must complete the updated age rating questions for each of their apps by January 31, 2026 to avoid disruptions when submitting app updates through App Store Connect.
“If your app has a policy requiring a higher minimum user age than the rating assigned by Apple, you can set a higher age rating after you respond to the age ratings questions,” Apple explained in a post.
“You can view the age rating for each of your apps under the updated system and respond to the new questions for each app in the App Information section in App Store Connect.”
