Apple now requires Australian users to confirm they are adults before downloading apps rated 18+ or disabling certain online safety protections.

Users can verify they are at least 18 using a credit card belonging to them or by scanning a passport, driver’s licence or other government-issued identification. Debit and gift cards are not accepted.

Apple may first check information already associated with an existing account, including whether it has an eligible credit card on file and how long the account has been active.

Australians who decline the verification can continue using their devices, but cannot download or purchase apps carrying an 18+ rating or turn off selected safety settings.

The Australian requirement forms part of a wider regional rollout, with age checks also applying in Singapore, South Korea, the UK and Texas where required by local law. It coincides with Apple’s broader international launch of new Screen Time and child-safety features through iOS 27, iPadOS 27 and macOS 27.

Apple’s Web Content Filter and Communication Safety features are automatically activated for children, teenagers and adults who have not confirmed they are over 18.

Communication Safety can detect and blur potentially explicit images, while the web filter is designed to restrict access to adult content.

Apple says images of identification documents are used by it and its service providers to verify age and prevent fraud. The image is retained briefly to complete the process and then deleted.

Users can check their status by opening Settings, selecting their name, choosing Personal Information and then tapping Age Confirmation.

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Some verification methods are limited to iPhones and iPads. Users prompted on a Mac, Apple Watch, Apple TV or Vision Pro may need to complete the process on a mobile device.

Australians under 13 remain unable to create an Apple Account without help and consent from a parent or guardian and must belong to a Family Sharing group.

The changes follow Apple’s expansion of its child-safety and parental-control tools, including more detailed App Store age ratings and protections for users aged 13 to 17.