Apple’s updated parental controls will require kids to get permission to text new numbers

Apple is introducing a suite of updated kid information features, including 1 that volition springiness parents much power implicit who their kids tin pass with. The features are acceptable to get with iOS 26, iPadOS 26, macOS Tahoe 26, watchOS 26, visionOS 26, and tvOS 26, which volition motorboat this fall.

Children volition present beryllium required to get parental support erstwhile they privation to pass with a caller telephone number. Requests volition look successful the Messages app, and parents tin pat a fastener to o.k. oregon decline. Apple is besides launching a “PermissionKit” that volition fto developers fold a akin diagnostic into their apps truthful that kids tin “send requests to their parents to chat, follow, oregon person users.”

The company’s parental controls automatically enforce protections specified arsenic web contented filters and app restrictions for kids nether 13, and Apple volition alteration “similar age-appropriate protections” for kids betwixt the ages of 13 and 17. Apple’s Communication Safety instrumentality is being updated to “intervene” erstwhile it detects nudity successful FaceTime calls and to blur nudity successful shared albums successful the Photos app, the institution says. App Store property ratings volition besides grow to see much granular categories, including 13 plus, 16 plus, and 18 plus.

Additionally, Apple volition fto parents stock a child’s property scope with apps, the institution says, without disclosing their circumstantial day of birth. Developers tin petition property scope accusation with a caller “Declared Age Range API.”

Companies similar Meta, Snap, and X and a coalition of big contented companies person advocated for authorities that would necessitate app store operators to verify their users’ age, a request that Apple has pushed backmost on implicit privateness concerns. Utah and Texas person already passed app store property verification bills.

Apple previewed immoderate of the caller features successful today’s property merchandise successful a whitepaper from earlier this year.