Google starts rolling out Play Store age verification, mirroring YouTube’s controversial checks

The rollout of the new Play Store age verification process was spotted by Android Police founder Artem Russakovskii, who shared screenshots of the verification prompt on X.

The new system will require users to verify their age before downloading certain apps, using one of several methods: uploading a government-issued ID, taking a selfie, using a credit card (no transaction fee, and any temporary charge is refunded), or through a third-party age-estimation provider such as Verifymy.io.

The rollout will happen gradually and may vary by region. In some countries, users may not see all verification options. For example, the Verifymy.io method isn’t yet available in my country.

In a recent blog post for developers, Google explained the regulatory reasons why it’s implementing age verification for the Play Store. A few US states, currently Texas, Utah, and Louisiana, have recently passed verification laws requiring app stores to verify users’ ages, obtain parental approval, and provide users’ age information to developers.

“The first app store bill will take into effect in Texas on Jan 1, 2026, followed by Utah (Effective date: May 7, 2026) and Louisiana (Effective date: July 1, 2026), pending any other developments. These laws impose significant new requirements on many apps that may need to provide age-appropriate experiences to users in these states. These requirements include ingesting users’ age ranges and parental approval status for significant changes from app stores and notifying app stores of significant changes,” Google wrote in the blog post.

These state laws are part of a broader child-protection and digital-age legislation sweeping across the United States right now. Tech giants like Google and Apple have been directed to verify users’ ages before granting access to their app stores. The companies have argued that the move could potentially impact user privacy by requiring the collection of personally identifiable information. However, both Google and Apple have had to reluctantly comply.

To help developers adapt, Google has also released a Play Age Signals API (currently in beta). It is designed to let developers receive limited, privacy-preserving “age signals” about users without directly collecting their personal data.

How Verifymy.io works

One of the services used by Google for Play Store age verification is Verifymy.io. It doesn’t rely on biometric or government-ID data. Instead, it uses your email address to estimate your age and determine whether you’re over 18.

“This is done by reviewing sites and apps where you’ve previously used this email address. If we are unable to estimate your age using your email address, you may be able to use alternative available methods such as ID scan or facial age estimation,” the site notes.

This method seems to be the quickest, easiest, and most privacy-preserving way to verify your age online, but because it depends on previous digital activity linked to your email, it may not work for everyone.

It’s not Google’s fault, but users may not be happy

Since Google rolled out age verification on YouTube earlier this year, it has drawn heavy criticism from users. Many adult users report being wrongly flagged as minors and forced to verify using sensitive personal information, including selfies, credit cards, or government IDs.

Users also find these new systems very intrusive. Platforms like Reddit and X are full of complaints, including false under-18 classifications, reluctance to share ID or face data, and fears about data retention and potential leaks.

Since the Play Store age verification process works the same way, users in affected regions might have trouble downloading apps if they don’t follow through with one of the provided methods.