Apple updates age rating system for apps and games, illegal app updates may be frozen
July 25, 2025, Cupertino, California, USA - Apple today issued an official notice to developers around the world: the App Store age rating system will usher in the largest adjustment in history, adding three levels of 13+, 16+, and 18+, replacing the simple two levels of 4+ and 9+ that have been used for many years. The new system will be launched simultaneously with the first developer beta of iOS 26, iPadOS 26, macOS Tahoe 26, tvOS 26, visionOS 26, and watchOS 26. Apps that have not completed the questionnaire after January 31, 2026 will not be able to submit updates.
New questions focus on AI, violence and health
Apple introduced four mandatory modules for the first time in the questionnaire: "in-app controls, capabilities, medical/health topics, and violent content", and emphasized that developers must evaluate the frequency of sensitive content exposure that may be caused by AI assistants or chatbots. The answers to the questionnaire will directly affect the final rating of the app in 175 countries and regions, and developers can manually set a minimum age threshold higher than the algorithm's recommendation to meet their own policies or regulatory requirements.
Compliance red lines: COPPA, GDPR and the App Review Guide
The email reiterated that all apps must still comply with the safety clauses in the App Review Guidelines regarding objectionable content and user-generated content, and comply with local laws such as COPPA and GDPR. Apple reminds that if an app is not properly graded due to failure to fill out the questionnaire truthfully, the app may be removed from the shelves or have its updates frozen.
The developer window is only 6 months away
Starting today, developers can view the updated ratings and fill out the questionnaire in the App Information section of App Store Connect. Apple recommends completing it as soon as possible to avoid being unable to push bug fixes or feature updates due to "missing information" starting in February 2026.
Apple's developer relations team said: "More detailed age ratings not only help parents make more informed choices, but also create a more transparent and trusted distribution ecosystem for developers."
