Apple's iOS 26 requires kids to get parental permission to text new numbers

As part of new updates to its parental controls announced at WWDC 25, Apple has introduced a new feature that requires kids to get permission to text new numbers. That's among other new child safety settings including more granular age-based app ratings that will be introduced to the new iOS 26, iPadOS 26, macOS Tahoe 26, watchOS 26, visionOS 26, and tvOS 26 operating systems coming this fall, Apple announced. 

The new feature called Communication Limits (part of Child Accounts) gives parents the ability to manage their kids communications across Messages, FaceTime, calling and iCloud contacts. Children must send a request to their parents when they want to contact a new phone number and parents can then give approval with a single tape in Messages. Developers can include the new function in third-party apps using Apple's PermissionKit framework. 

Apple

Another new child-friendly feature is more granular age-based ratings for apps to help parents decide which are safe for their kids to use. By the end of 2025, those will expand to five categories including three for adolescents: 13+, 16+ and 18+. When parents set app content restrictions, apps that exceed those will not appear on the App Store — though kids can request exemptions if the Ask to Buy setting is enabled. 

Apple already employs safety features like web content filters and app restrictions for kids under 13, but it will now enforce "similar age-appropriate" protections for teens between 13 and 17. The company will also let parents give apps a child's age range without disclosing their exact date of birth. Finally, the Communication Safety tool has been expanded to intervene when it detects nudity in FaceTime video calls and it will blur out nudity in Shared Albums in Photos. 

Apple's changes follow in the heels of new age-verification laws enacted in Texas, Utah and and other states. Google, for one, opposed the Utah bill, but Meta and other app makers have called for legislation that would require app stores to get parental approval before their teens download any app — effectively offloading the responsibility to Apple, Google and others.

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