IOS 26 May Prevent Your Child From Texting New Numbers Without Your Approval
Apple’s upcoming iOS 26 update is packed with new features and changes , but they’re not all just for fun. As part of its series of announcements during WWDC last week, Apple unveiled a number of features and changes aimed at helping parents keep their kids and teens safe while using iPhone.
Here are eight changes to expect when you upgrade your entire family’s devices this fall.
Permission to send text messages to new numbers
Once your family updates their iPhones to iOS 26, your kids will only be able to send text messages to numbers in their saved contacts. If they want to send a text message to a new number, they’ll need your permission first.
The process works similarly to requests for more screen time or to make a purchase: You’ll get a permission request in Messages, and Apple says you can grant or deny it with a tap. This structure is also open to developers to implement in their apps, allowing kids to send requests to chat, follow, or be friends in other apps.
Sharing Age Ranges with Apps
If an app offers different types of content and experiences based on the age of its users, it may ask you for an age range for your child. The idea is that you don’t have to share your child’s exact birthday; instead, you send a range of your child’s ages. That way, the app can curate its content within that range without revealing too much of your child’s privacy.
Additionally, you can customize these requests like other app permissions—you can choose whether to share this age range with all apps that want it, or whether apps will have to ask for permission each time. You can also choose to never share age ranges in the future.
The change could be related to new laws coming out in the US that will require app stores like Apple to verify the age of their users.
Teen accounts now have new limits
Child accounts are required for users under 13, but are optional for children ages 13 to 17. This means that while some teens have protections in their accounts, those who create an Apple account after turning 13 may not have all the restrictions you want.
Going forward, Apple will apply new restrictions to teen accounts by default. This includes web content filters, as well as a feature called Communication Safety that warns when content containing nudity is sent or shared.
New categories for age ratings
Apple’s App Store currently has four age ratings for apps: 4+, 9+, 12+, and 17+. Now, Apple says it’s expanding that list to five, adding three more teen ratings: 13+, 16+, and 18+. While the company doesn’t specify, it’s believed 4+ and 9+ will remain.
I understand the logic: 12+ and 17+ introduce a five-year gap between app ratings, which could create a problem for developers with questionable content: maybe the app isn’t really suitable for users 12 and under, but it’s suitable for 16-year-olds. But under the current rating, they’d have to put it below 17+, which would block users who could benefit from the app. Plus, developers can now tailor their apps to a more specific demographic.
App Store Content Warnings
With the new updates, you’ll see new warnings on the App Store pages for apps that contain potentially problematic content, such as user-generated content, messages, or ads. You’ll also see whether the app comes with in-app content controls so you can customize the experience for your kids.
Inappropriate apps will not be shown to children.
Apple says that when you set app content limits for your kids, the App Store will hide apps with age ratings that exceed those limits. This means your kids can browse App Store pages like Today, Games, and the Apps tab without having to see inappropriate apps.
Advanced Purchase Request
On the other hand, kids now have the ability to request to buy something outside their age range, via the Ask to Buy feature. Ask to Buy is a feature that allows your kids to send you a request to buy something from the App Store. You can then grant an age range exception to allow your child to buy the app anyway. You can also revoke permission at any time, which will block your child from using the app.
New Communication Security Triggers
Apple says Communication Safety will now monitor for nudity in FaceTime calls and “intervene” when it detects it. The feature will also blur nudity in shared albums in Photos.