iPhone Users Must Prove Age to Download Apps in 2026

Beginning in 2026, Apple will ask for the age of Texas iPhone users prior to their downloading any app on the App Store. This change will also mean that, in Texas, the minors will have no access to some apps and features on iPhone.

Apart from being a company that puts privacy first, Apple has become a major player in the state having designs to comply with the new laws so collecting such sensitive data is not among their plans.

The law applies not just to Apple but also to other tech companies operating in the area. The law makes it clear that parents have to supervise their children when it comes to using devices and the internet including the overseeing of children's app interactions and iPhone usage.

In order to assure compliance with the new laws, Apple is offering developers the tools to do so indirectly without directly demanding a user's date of birth. Developers will be able to utilize an API that will verify a user's age while maintaining the user's privacy rights. These updates will be available to developers ahead of the January 2026 target date.

Apple has frequently altered its policies due to local laws. For example, the EU laws imposed the option of sideloading apps and, as a result, the widespread adoption of USB-C ports for Apple products. Similarly, in China, Apple has to ask for government consent before it can roll out any AI-like features and services.

The experts in the field affirm that the new Texas law has the effect of putting an additional hurdle in the way of minors, which is something Apple has never allowed. To a certain extent the company has always been implementing safety measures e.g., in the case of Instagram and other social platforms, however, now the state law has made age verification a non-negotiable.