Google Expands Android Age-Assurance Tools to Developers Worldwide

Google is expanding its age-assurance technology for Android, announcing Wednesday that its Play Signal API will become available worldwide by the end of 2026.

The technology, which is already available in Brazil, allows Android developers to identify the age range of younger users and adjust their apps to provide safer and more age-appropriate experiences.

Google plans to expand the API to Australia and Canada by mid-August before making it available across all markets by the end of the year.

The rollout comes as governments and regulators around the world increase pressure on app stores and technology companies to introduce stronger protections for children and teenagers. Apple launched its own age-verification tools globally in February as technology platforms respond to a growing number of age-assurance laws.

Developers can receive age ranges without birth dates

Similar to Apple’s approach, Google’s system is designed to provide developers with information about a user’s age range without requiring access to sensitive personal details such as an exact date of birth.

Parents can instead choose to share their child’s age range with applications. Adults can also provide their own age information when requested by developers, allowing apps to customise features and experiences for different age groups.

Google is centralising the process through Family Link, its parental controls platform, rather than requiring parents to configure age sharing separately for every application.

Once parents enter their child’s age-range information, developers that integrate the Play Signal API can use the signal to adjust their apps accordingly.

Google stressed that age-range information will not automatically be shared. Parents must opt in and provide the information before participating developers can access the signal.

Google expands its existing child safety controls.

The Play Signal API will become another component ofGoogle’ss broader collection of child safety features on Android and Google Play.

Google already provides tools that allow developers to restrict whether children can discover certain applications. Family Link also gives parents controls for managing children’s device use.

Through Family Link, parents can establish screen-time limits, approve or reject app downloads and configure PIN-protected content restrictions for individual applications.

By expanding the Play Signal API globally, Google is giving Android developers another way to tailor experiences for younger users while limiting the amount of personal information apps need to collect directly.