Apple Rolls Out Age Checks in Australia for 18+ Apps and Content
Synopsis
Apple now requires Australian adults to confirm their age before downloading 18+ apps, with the rules forming part of broader age-assurance requirements.
Apple age verification Australia requirements have recently been updated to require age verification for adults to download or purchase 18+ rated apps or for some Apple Account actions.
Users can verify their age to Apple with a credit card, passport, driver's licence or government issued ID, according to Apple's support guidance. Debit and gift cards are not supported.
18+ Apps Face Age Checks
Apple age verification Australia system is set to roll out on 24th February 2026, for app downloads for the age group of 18+ years. To download Apple's 18+ content rated apps in Australia, Brazil and Singapore, users would have to be verified as adults.
Selected safety settings are also included in the latest requirements. If adults do not confirm their age, they may keep using their devices, but will need to prove they are 18 or older in order to access 18+ content or to adjust some settings of safety protection.
The age verification measures Apple releases in Australia are in line with the Australian Age-Restricted Material Codes. eSafety claims app distribution services were given until September 9, 2026, to apply age-assurance measures to apps before allowing them to be downloadable or purchase ones rated at R18.
Australia Joins Wider App Store Changes
The region has a wider set of rules for Apple age verification Australia. Apple has also added age-assurance features in Brazil and Singapore and its existing account guidance highlights extra requirements in South Korea, the UK and Texas.
The ratings currently in use for the Apple's App Store in Australia are 4+, 9+, 13+, 16+ and 18+. Australian games that include gambling or simulated gambling are rated R18+ (18 years and over).
The broader regulatory shift follows Australian laws that are being implemented in some online services to require age verification for their users. The Age-Restricted Material Codes for relevant services are to be implemented from March 9, 2026, and some of the requirements will be phased in later in terms of staged deadlines, eSafety says.
Apple's fiscal third quarter revenues rose 16% year on year to US$109.4 billion as of June 27, 2026. Gross margin was 50.1%, but diluted earnings per share increased by 29% to US$2.02.
Source: Stockhead
Pooja Malik is a business journalist with over six years of experience covering startups, entrepreneurship, and emerging trends. She has previously worked with leading media platforms such as YourStory Media and BW BusinessWorld, where she reported on business, policy, and market developments. Currently, she serves as Editor at The Inspirepreneur Magazine, where she writes and edits stories across business, lifestyle, and travel, with a focus on clarity, accuracy, and reader relevance.
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