Age Verification iOS 26.4 in the UK

Curious do they not provide ID for those who are blind or disable who are not able to drive? Here in the US, we got State ID. Can you get your passport?

On our state IDs, we can also get a little, "visually impaired", label put on them, I think it goes under the portrait if I'm not mistaken. Sort of like a little banner at the bottom.

Whenever I need to verify my age on online platforms, I will always use my parents' identification, whether that's their credit card, etc.

In the UK, Apple also accepts certain proof of age cards, according to this support note: https://support.apple.com/en-gb/126788

Quote: "You can confirm your age with a credit card, or by scanning a driver’s licence or one of the following PASS-accredited Proof of Age cards: CitizenCard, My ID Card, TOTUM ID card or Young Scot National Entitlement Card. If you already have an Apple Account, Apple will check if you have a credit card on file or other eligible methods available to confirm that you’re 18 or older."

We do not have any form of national ID or disabled photo ID. Since 75 percent of even working age VI people in the UK are not working, most of us actually cannot get credit cards, whether we want to or not. Therefore, unless we have had our accounts long enough, verifiation is impossible for us, yes, actually impossible, and it could probably be argued to be a breach of the equalities act because of the unemployment rate of VI people. Passports are specifically excluded, and apparently so is voter ID. Apple have, sadly, lost my trust and credibility over this, they are going to have to earn it back, and that is going to be hard. As things stand, Apple won't be able to have blind customers in the UK any more. Oh, and asking parents to let us use their ID? Well, that failes either if the parents themselves use it for anything Apple related, and/or if they don't like registering their credit cards online, which applies to many older people in the UK. This is honestly the most discriminatory thing Apple have ever done, since they removed screen reading from Mac OS, which was like 30 years ago. Granted, they probably do not realise our situation, and have been following government advice, but even so, it discriminates against us due to the cercumstances of VI people. For me, i believe I will be able to verify in a couple of years, because of when I got my Apple account, but that will be no help if I actually have to verify for some reason. For me, this means no upgrades, no security fixes, for the forseeable future, until I can verify what I would lose access to at least. Ramblio is an over 18 app, so I suspect that would have to go, and other messaging platforms might end up very restricted too. We are potentially extremely isolated by all this, and much less safe. The new UK laws have good intent, but they are implemented in some very harmful ways.

My phone just did an update overnight and I woke up to my phone. It did a kind of restart and I thought "oh my God" it hasn't deleted everything? Well, the phone said "hello" and asked me for age verification. It wasn't taking any of my debit cards. I don't own a credit card cause I don't need credit cards to live. I don't borrow like that, so I choose not to use a credit card, it's absolutely insane that my phone would not let me in! The face verification kept failing, and I had to get my old phone out, my iPhone 14 cause I thought I was gonna be locked out of my phone forever, I went into a panic. I've just paid 1800 quid for this phone and the thought of not being able to use it because the phone, let's be honest it's glitchy AF, it has serious bugs and it's got bad attitude. I got really worried, but, I haven't been able to do age verification on my phone, so disappointing, and it scared me for nothing. I thought I wasn't gonna be able to get into the phone and it scared me for nothing. I've got serious health issues like asthma. I need a phone. I don't have a house phone, imagine I didn't have a spare phone here, it would be awful. This is such a nice phone, but it has let it down. The camera is lovely. The graphics are amazing but the phone stalls, the phone freezes, and it's annoying as hell!!

Now that age verification is spreading all over the world with all its privacy implications, it's better to take action and get involved with Electronic Frontier Foundation, who's fighting against this invasive privacy violation for years.

https://www.eff.org/issues/age-verification

On their page about this, blind people issues are not specified. We must all take action and pose them our problems, or we'll never be listened to, we can't remain silent and accept everything passively.

If it asks for age verification, you can just skip it. I believe it then can be done later from Settings (at the top).

I didn't have to do this as I do have a credit card on my Apple account.

But just to be clear, it will not stop you using your phone, but certain unspecified age restricted things may not be available.

I think if you are in the position of being unable to prove your age all you can do is contact Apple support and maybe there's something else that can be done. I think this is very early doors, and they are just responding to legislation, so hopefully the process will be improved soon. I don't know if there is some kind of manual override which would allow someone at Apple to verify it outside the app.

In this case I believe is more about the law that the UK pass. Apple only is following the UK requirements about this. I am sure is frustrating and upsetting for those of you who are dealing with it, I get upset with VO and notification but that is around for more than a year. However we can not blame apple for the age verification. I am sure it will come to the US State by State. Specially from those who want to control what we watch, listen and read. LLC.

I've said this on another thread but in all seriousness, do not use the ID of somebody else, with or without their consent. In the UK, to do this amounts to fraud by false representation under the Fraud Act 2006, which is a serious criminal offence. Please also have a good think before you make suggestions like this - we shouldn't be encouraging underage people to bypass the law by committing fraud or other offences, whatever we might think of that law ourselves.

I suggested in another thread that you should apply for a credit card if you can get one. I must admit I hadn't factored in the unemployment situation, which I can see would make that difficult. all I can suggest is writing to your local MP or visiting their surgery to try and illustrate the problem to them.

Wow I agree with Bingo. Avoid the future headache that will create. Notice that I say "will". LLC.

I do not feel that this is a significant issue. After all, I am not saying that you should use someone else's ID, such as a friend's or a random stranger's; I am just saying that you should use your family member's ID.

I don't see that being a significant barrier as we are related to our family, after all. In fact, I sometimes share an account with my family because they might have more loyalty points, etc., and there is no point in me creating a separate account for myself which i will barely use.

I am curious from the legal point of view. Do we have a lawyer from the UK can address this? I think doing so in the US is not. LLC.

A lawyer or at least lectures in law and I suspect even family members would still come under the same fraud laws. I am not a lawyer though!

I am a barrister, that is to say, a trial attorney when translated into american English. I also lecture in law.

Whether you see something as a significant issue or not is immaterial: doing what appleFan is doing to get round age verification would amount to fraud by false representation in english law. Note I say English, in acknowledgement that Scotland and Northern Ireland have separate systems of criminal law. after all, some folk don't see murder as a significant issue, but it's still a criminal offence.

Fraud by false representation occurs when you make a representation of fact that is either untrue or misleading, knowing it to be false, dishonestly, and with an intention to make a gain or cause a loss in money or other property. Making a gain or causing a loss includes keeping what one otherwise would not keep. You don't actually have to make a gain or cause a loss in fraud; you just have to intend to. Being over 18 allows you potentially to make financial gains you could not make were you under 18, so you're caught.

Don't say I didn't warn you.

It's actually very sad and disturbing that the UK is becoming a nanny state. In fact, even the EU is going that route. Oh, and I see with the recent judgement against Apple and google regarding a lady who claimed their products caused harm to her, America is just going the same route.
This requirement is encouraging people to behave fraudulently..

However the fact that you can’t even use a passport, which is the main form of ID most of us could easily get access to is absurd. I too have looked into getting a credit card, but that’s not currently possible because I can’t get approved.

I’m having the same issue and I’m going to apply for a citizen card as I need a form of ID anyway. Once I have the card and have tried to verify my age with it, I will let you know if it was an easy process and if I was successful. For anyone who is interested as citizen card costs £18.

I have students in my class who have none of the required ID’s to prove they are over 28 years, the vast majority of them have no passports, definitely no driving licence, and no credit card. Will they now not be able to use apps which they have taken so long to acquire the skills to use. Come on Apple, they have invested a lot of their income to help themselves. Someone, somewhere must come up with a solution to this issue. This is making life for them, even more difficult.

If their apple ID shows that they had it for a long time. So if someone got an iPhone 4 years ago for the first time and created an apple ID. If I not mistaking when you do so, you put your age on it. Also if you are using the apple ID to confirm when you had updated iOS or purchase another device later. LLC.

Could be wrong, but the having the apple Id is only valid if one has had it for I think more than 10 years active, I seem to remember reading that in an article, could be wrong though.
Why isn't face ID working though? I hahaven't got this yet as not from the UK which, thank God because this sounds like a pain in the neck and a half but, odd face ID isn't working? Is it different than the face ID set up you do when setting up face ID or what?

That way only works if it is not realistically possible for you to be under 18 with that apple ID i.e. if you created your apple ID in 2008 you should be okay. I created my apple ID in 2010, which I suppose is just about okay but I was not verified that way. I was verified thanks to my credit card. There are other ways this could be done - national insurance number, for example. I'm having a look into this and will report back.

I got my discover in my wallet but also my other card. The discover is secondary but I did my apple ID when it came out with the iPhone. Do not recall how long ago. It was in a far, far galaxy away. Maybe iPhone 40 will able to check your DNA and you will not need anything else. LLC.

Would it be possible to obtain a Credit Card through a retailer eg Amazon, Tesco etc and present it as digital ID?

last night as I write this, I updated my phone to iOS 26.4.1 and the age verification screen popped up again. I Initially dismissed it and carried on using my iPhone. However, I’ve then decided to have a look in the age verification screen to see if Apple had decided to support other forms of ID or if there was any more information about what Apple are counting as ID in the UK. My phone asked me to verify with Face ID and once I had done this, I heard voiceover say all set. I flicked through the screen and it turned out that iOS decided all of a sudden that I have had my Apple ID long enough to verify that I am 18+.
The reason I am Telling you guys this is it may be a good idea to give it another go yourselves. I’m not saying it will definitely work but it’s definitely worth a shot. When I update it to iOS 26.4 a few weeks ago the phone was asking me to scan in a form of ID. I find it interesting that it has now decided that I have had my Apple account long enough to verify that I am 18+.

Even if it takes a while, if you've had your iPhone long enough Apple will, in time, realise you're over 18. As for alternative forms of ID, there is behind the scenes action taking place in this regard. Hold tight and don't let's start threatening litigation or anything like that. You don't threaten to sue someone whose help you want.

I agree with you bingo. There are already other forms of ID available. The problem is the information about them isn’t easy to find. Also, the website that explains about pass accredited forms of ID does not work with VoiceOver. I can’t comment on how it works with other screen readers as I have not tried them. Also, I agree with your point about threatening legal action not being a good course of action. As I’ve already said, there are already other forms of ID other than a driving license or credit card that are available.

Remember you have the government to thank for this. This is not apple's thought.

Or rather, to be fair, you are right but only up to a point. The decision not to accept passports as a form of ID is not pursuant to a statutory or regulatory duty, but pursuant to a discretion. I am currently working on advice on this point.

If you don't have any of the valid requirements, there is a workaround to this issue:

Obtain one of the PASS-accredited cards, Call Apple and they will guide you through the process.

Otherwise, seek sighted assistance from family or friends.

The legislation, and the government pushing it over the line, is obviously authoritarian and stupid, but it doesn't require operating systems to implement these age checks, only sites and services. Apple is going above and beyond here, purely to facilitate a system-wide approach to age-gating. While I am actually very sympathetic to this desire, it does then mean that Apple gets (and should get!) some of the blame for this disaster. I think there's grounds for arguing systematic discrimination here.

That said, I'm lucky enough, though not employed, to have a credit card; my bank, Natwest, is also a credit card company and issued me one owing essentially to my relationship to the bank, after I rang them up. MBNA from Lloyd's will do the same, if you tell them how much of your outgoings is spent on your special needs. The systematic discrimination in the credit industry is, of course, a whole other conversation, but there are possibly options open to you.

And, yes, there are the PASS-certified ID cards. I can't vouch for them, having not tried them, but although it's ridiculous that Apple doesn't handle passports, they are also much cheaper than the former, and if you can get sighted help to complete the process, it sounds like that might be a workable solution.

Good luck!

Just want to say, I don't believe Apple are discriminating despite the accusations here, as many sighted people are also experiencing difficulty with facial recognition after scanning in PASS-accredited cards.

My son tried at the weekend after I failed several times to scan my face, but he was unable to complete the process.

According to Apple, this issue will be addressed in the next update.

You can discriminate without intending to. You don't have to be malicious, and to be clear I don't think Apple are being malicious. But I think it's important to acknowledge the particular ways in which communities like ours are vulnerable.

That said, yep, I hope Apple continue to refine this. Also, unless you actually need to access adult-gated apps or content, and I'm not judging here at all, but it should be the case that you won't run into any actual limitations. It's just undignifying.

Recall watching a video of how to add a passport on wallet in the US, not sure it will work on other places. LLC.

This is the issue of the governments in the UK and whereever else this is being made to be done. Apple has to comply with it. This is not Apples issue.

Looks like this is more about what other places uses for ID for people with disability. Hope this issue gets solve ASAP. Feel for those who dealing with it. LLC.

This issue is affecting anyone who doesn't possess either a driving licence or credit card.

btw, if you choose not to verify your age or tap "Confirm Later" in Settings, the following restrictions are automatically applied:
Forced Content Filters: The Web Content Filter is turned on by default. This restricts access to "Adult" websites and certain age-restricted content in
Safari.
Communication Safety: This feature is enabled for Messages, AirDrop, FaceTime, and Photos. It uses on-device AI to scan for and blur nudity in incoming
and outgoing media.
Account Warnings: You will see a persistent notification or badge in the Settings app reminding you to confirm your age to unlock full features.
2. Service & App Restrictions
Rejecting verification limits your access to "adult" features within the Apple ecosystem:
App Store Limitations: You may be blocked from downloading apps rated 17+ or 18+, and certain in-app purchases may be restricted.
Restricted Media: Explicit music, movies, or TV shows in Apple Music and the TV app may be hidden or unplayable unless you manually override Screen Time
settings (which may still be limited without verification).
Privacy & Tracking: Apple will likely limit the data apps can collect about you, as "unverified" users are treated with the same high-privacy standards
as children.

Hi dennis, it's nothing personal, but last week you said word for word the same thing as you've just said. Just as you were wrong last week, you're wrong this week to the extent and for the reasons I gave last week. Apple could choose to accept passports as a valid proof of age. Apple has chosen not to. I am a UK lawyer and I promise you I'm right.

I actually think there is a potential breach of the Equality Act here - not on the basis of direct discrimination, but rather less favourable treatment by dint of a protective characteristic. I do not think that is sufficiently offset by the availability of other passes, as these are not mainstream ID documents, though certainly I could be wrong about that. It all comes down to proportionality and the meaning of proportionality as a matter of law. I do think there is a good legal argument that apple would do well to look at this again, though talk of suing and that sort of carry-on is nonsense.

I see dear old Holger's also made the US passports point again. Sometimes I wonder if it's worth writing anything at all on here? To be clear, you cannot add your UK passport to your Apple Wallet. Nor can you verify your age using your Saracens men's fixtures season ticket 2025-2026...well, maybe you can but I haven't tried it, though I do have such a card in my wallet, along with a Waitrose card, a credit card, and a whole load of expired train tickets and aircraft boarding passes. I also have a key card from a Devon hotel who did not actually realise that they offered the facility of adding a key card to apple Wallet. No, I don't understand that one either.

Hi all,

This thread is specific to age verification in the UK. Please, if you're not a UK user or otherwise currently affected by Apple's UK-specific restrictions, please refrain from commenting in this thread. In particular, US-specific information is not helpful in this context, as the discussion is about age verification accessibility in the UK. When people post comments that are irrelevant and/or off-topic, it gets in the way of answers that are actually helpful for their situation.

"Apple could choose to accept passports as a valid proof of age. Apple has chosen not to."

My wife's overseas passport was accepted. I've just confirmed her age verification in settings.

If I'm not mistaken, it's not Apple blocking UK passports, it's simply that they are not supported.

In the UK most of the time passports are the go to for identification. Even to the extent that you can be refused if your passport has run out even if you produce it in person and only 1 day out. So this looks like nobody from Apple looked into what is mostly used for identification and maybe did a google search on what you need to prove you are over 18 by some dodgy AI that missed passports off and then they went with it. Surely they will update this in 26.5?

First off, an overseas passport is not a valid comparator - as the discussion about US passports illustrates, some work. There is no legal reason why a UK passport could not be accepted. as Lee says, a UK passport is the go to form of ID in this country. Buying a house? They will want your passport for moneylaundering purposes. Proving your right to work? Again, it's a passport they need. Voting? Passport or driving licence are the typical forms of ID. Sure, there are these other forms of ID available; but, and this is massively important, they are far rarer and very few people have them. The upshot is that if you find yourself unable to verify your age by dint of not having a credit card or driver's licence, and if your passport is not accepted, even if you could still verify your age by applying for and receiving one of these lesser forms of ID, you are nevertheless at a disadvantage. Your age verification will be delayed, and perhaps significantly delayed. Whether that is a proportionate means of pursuing a legitimate aim is a moot point, but it will not be proportionate if there are less invasive means of achieving the same objective.

Ultimately, it's just policy whose ramifications might not have been entirely thought through. That is easily remedied.

According to Apple, it was the UK government who require users in the UK to provide a driver's licence, credit card or a PASS-accredited card.

DJ, I'm aware of what the support article says. The support article represents a misunderstanding of the legal position in the UK. To put it more bluntly, whoever wrote that is talking out of his hat. The support article cites no source for this supposed governmental directive; hardly surprising, as there isn't one. In fact, such sources as there are say exactly the opposite. Now, Apple might have a very good reason for not wanting passports to act as a proof of age. Trouble is, nobody knows what that is and it's really quite haard to fathom what it is in the particular context.