Google is expanding its Play Age Signals API globally, giving Android developers a privacy-focused way to identify broad user age ranges and provide more appropriate app experiences. The technology is already available in Brazil and will reach Australia and Canada by mid-August before rolling out worldwide later in 2026.
The system does not give developers a user’s exact date of birth. Instead, apps can request an age category and information about whether the account is supervised or age-verified.
Apps Receive Age Ranges Instead of Birthdates
The Play Age Signals API can return default categories of 0 to 12, 13 to 15, 16 to 17 and 18 or older. Developers may use those signals to adjust content, communication tools, privacy settings and other app features.
The API can also indicate whether a user’s age has been verified and whether the account is managed by a parent. For adults, verification methods may include a government-issued identification document, credit card or facial age estimation, depending on the region and applicable requirements.
Google said age ranges are not automatically shared with every app. Developers must integrate the API and request the relevant information, while users or parents retain control over whether it is provided.
Family Link Centralises Parental Controls
Parents can manage age-sharing preferences and other child account settings through Google Family Link. This avoids requiring them to configure the same information separately inside every supported app.
Family Link already lets parents approve app downloads, establish screen-time limits, manage account permissions and apply content restrictions. Google Play also gives developers tools for limiting whether supervised users can find or install particular apps.
Developers in some jurisdictions can use the API to request parental approval when they make significant changes to an app. Google Play can then notify the parent and return the approval status to the developer.
Google Responds to Age-Assurance Laws
The expansion comes as governments increasingly require app stores and online platforms to provide stronger protections for younger users. Google has begun implementing age signals and verification processes in US states including Texas, where new users may be asked to confirm their age.
Apple offers a comparable tool through its Declared Age Range API. Parents can allow an app to receive a child’s age range without providing the exact birthdate, while adults can choose whether to share their own range.
Apple’s system is available worldwide on supported operating systems and has been updated to address regional rules in markets including Brazil, Australia and parts of the United States.
Google said the Play Age Signals API is intended to help developers meet legal obligations without independently collecting sensitive identity information from every user.
Featured image credits: Flickr
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