Apple is informing developers about automatic modifications to the age rating of their applications and games, as it implements more detailed tiers as part of the forthcoming enhanced family tools. Here’s what this entails.
## Change Signifies Forthcoming Enhancements to Parental Control Detail
In a message dispatched to developers today, Apple revealed that the revamped App Store age rating framework introduces three additional tiers: 13+, 16+, and 18+, in addition to the current 4+ and 9+ ratings.
Apple indicated that, “Age ratings are assigned country or region-wise and may differ based on local suitability criteria.” The company has already automatically reassigned applications under the new framework based on developers’ past responses to the age rating questionnaire.
The revised ratings are now incorporated in the latest beta releases of iOS 26 and other platforms. If the newly assigned automatic rating does not fit its target audience, developers can manually adjust it in App Store Connect.
## New Mandatory Questions Arriving at App Store Connect
To facilitate the expanded framework, Apple has introduced a new series of mandatory questions to the age rating questionnaire. These address:
– In-app controls.
– Capabilities.
– Medical or wellness subjects.
– Violent content in your app or game.
Apple is requesting developers to complete the revised questionnaire on App Store Connect by January 31, 2026. Following that date, app updates will be halted in App Store Connect until the new questions are addressed.
In the correspondence, Apple reminded developers that their applications must also adhere to regulations like COPPA and GDPR, and must consider all app functionalities, including AI assistants and chatbot features, when assessing the prevalence of sensitive content.
