Alongside the new emojis, AI playlists, and other goodies that rolled out with iOS 26.4, Apple included a less-welcome upgrade for users in the UK: age verification.
Once the update has been installed, anyone in the UK with an iPhone has to verify how old they are. There’ll be a prompt to do this, and if that’s dismissed, there’s a persistent reminder in Settings. The same change is happening with iPads and iPadOS 26.4, but not with Macs.
If you’re in the UK and aren’t 18 or over (or can’t prove you are), then certain restrictions get applied—including filters on the kind of websites you can access and the content you can send in messages.
It’s an enforced requirement that hasn’t gone down well with users, but it’s something we might be seeing more of in the future. Whether or not you’re a UK user, here’s what you need to know.
Why this is
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