Apple users in Texas will have to follow these new app requirements

Apple has published a new post on its developer website to share details about the requirements for apps available in Texas, US. This is in response to a new state law (SB2420), which will introduce "age assurance" requirements for app marketplaces and developers.

The new law will take effect on January 1, 2026, and individuals residing in Texas who create a new Apple account will be required to confirm whether they are 18 years of age or older. Different rules will apply depending on a user's age, and the Senate Bill puts users into four categories:

• A user younger than 13 years is considered a "child."
• A user between 13 and 15 years is considered a "younger teenager."
• A user between 16 and 17 years is considered an "older teenager."
• A user aged 18 years or older is considered an "adult."

It will become compulsory for new Apple account holders below 18 years of age to join a Family Sharing group. Their parents or guardians will need to provide consent for all App Store downloads, app purchases, and transactions for in-app purchases made by the minor. Parents will be able to revoke consent for a minor using a particular app.

On the other hand, developers will need to tweak their apps and adopt new capabilities to comply with their legal obligations. However, these changes are specific to the state of Texas. Apple notes that similar app requirements will come into effect later next year in Utah and Louisiana.

The Cupertino giant expressed its stance on the upcoming law regarding child safety:

While we share the goal of strengthening kids’ online safety, we are concerned that SB2420 impacts the privacy of users by requiring the collection of sensitive, personally identifiable information to download any app, even if a user simply wants to check the weather or sports scores.

Over the coming months, developers will be able to use the updated Declared Age Range API to fetch the required age categories for new account holders in Texas. Apple will launch new APIs that allow developers to "invoke a system experience to allow the user to request that parental consent be re-obtained" after making a significant change to their app.