Apple to Require Age Verification, Parental Consent for All App Downloads in Texas

Apple has detailed new App Store requirements to comply with a Texas state law that introduces age assurance for all app downloads. The law, SB2420, is set to take effect on January 1, 2026, and will change how users create new Apple Accounts and how developers manage apps in the state.

In an announcement, Apple said it shares the goal of strengthening online safety for children but expressed concerns that the law impacts user privacy by requiring the collection of sensitive, personally identifiable information to download any app. The company outlined the updates it is making to its platform to provide tools for parents and developers while operating within the new legal constraints.

Once the law is in effect, users in Texas who create a new Apple Account will need to confirm whether they are 18 or older. Any new accounts for users under 18 will be required to join a Family Sharing group, where a parent or guardian must provide consent for all App Store downloads and purchases made by the minor. Similar requirements are expected to be implemented in Utah and Louisiana next year.


To help developers meet their obligations, Apple is introducing new capabilities. The Declared Age Range API is available now and will be updated in the coming months to provide the required age categories for new users in Texas. New APIs launching later this year will also allow developers to prompt a user to re-obtain parental consent if a significant change is made to their app. These new resources follow other recent developer-focused releases, such as the Foundation Models framework for building AI-powered features.

Parents will also gain the ability to revoke consent for a minor to continue using an app. Apple said that more details and technical documentation for developers will be released later this fall.

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