Apple Overhauls App Store Age Ratings
Apple has announced an overhaul of the App Store's age rating system across all of its platforms.
The company has added three new age rating tiers — 13+, 16+, and 18+ — to the existing 4+ and 9+ classifications. At the same time, the 12+ and 17+ categories are being removed.
The new framework is designed to give parents more control and clarity over which apps are appropriate for their children and to better align App Store ratings with region-specific standards. As part of the rollout, Apple has reassigned age ratings for all existing apps and games based on the responses developers previously provided in the App Store Connect age rating questionnaire.
Developers are now required to complete an updated version of that questionnaire, which includes several new mandatory questions covering in-app controls, app capabilities, medical or wellness content, and violent themes. These answers will be used to recalculate the app's age rating.
Apple is requiring developers to complete the updated questionnaire by January 31, 2026. After that date, developers who have not responded will be unable to submit new app updates in App Store Connect until they do so.
The new age ratings are now live in the beta versions of iOS 26, iPadOS 26, macOS Tahoe 26, tvOS 26, visionOS 26, and watchOS 26. They will become visible to the public when the updates are officially released in the fall.
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