- Age verification is rolling out for iOS and iPadOS users in the UK
- Some users are struggling with finding ID or getting it approved
- One option is to refuse to install the iOS 26.4 / iPadOS 26.4 update
Apple has caused a storm of confusion and controversy with its decision to roll out age verification in the UK with iOS 26.4 and iPadOS 26.4 — and a substantial number of users are having problems proving how old they are.
If you’re a UK user and install the iOS 26.4 or iPadOS 26.4 update, you’ll be met with a message asking you to prove you’re over 18, with some exceptions: people who already have a credit card on file (these can only be issued to adults), and those who’ve had their Apple account longer than 18 years.
For now, the prompt can be dismissed (you can find it again in Settings), but that presumably won’t last forever. The two verification methods that Apple supports are scans of a credit card (not debit cards) and scans of a photo driving license, but as 9to5Mac reports, there are numerous people who don’t have either.
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Even for those who can provide a card or ID, the process seems to be buggy, and failing quite regularly. As per feedback given to 9to5Mac, you can try waiting a longer time (around 10 seconds) for a scan to be accepted, add a credit card to Apple Wallet, or restart your phone and attempt the process again if you’re having an issue.
Stopping the update
While Apple hasn’t explicitly said why the age checks have been brought in, there’s growing momentum in the UK and worldwide for child safety protections to be built into phones and apps. Adult websites operating in the UK are required by law to verify the age of users, though up until now this hasn’t been handled at the device level.
While UK regulator Ofcom has welcomed the move, the reaction among users has been less than impressed, with the rollout branded as “stupid” and “ridiculous”. There’s also a growing unease that these kinds of restrictions are going to be expanded to further countries and devices over time.
You do have the option of refusing to install the iOS 26.4 or iPadOS 26.4 update: From Settings, tap General > Software Update and turn off Automatic Updates. However, that does also mean you won’t get the latest software features or security updates from Apple, so it’s not usually recommended in the long term.
As well as keeping schtum about the age verification rollout, Apple hasn’t said anything about or what people without a credit card or driving license in the UK are supposed to do to get verified — but hopefully we’ll get some official guidance soon.
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