Google Play Store now wants proof you’re 18 or older

Over the last few months, Google has rolled out AI-powered age verification for several of its services, including Google Search and YouTube. Now, the company seems to be expanding the verification system to the Play Store, requiring users to verify they are 18+.

The verification system is similar to YouTube and requires users to verify their age before downloading some apps. Google is offering users multiple ways to verify their age, including uploading an ID, taking a selfie, using a credit card, or through a third-party service called verifymy.io.

As Android Police founder Artem Russakovskii notes, users won’t be able to download many apps unless they verify their age. The rollout only seems to have begun and will vary depending on your location.

If you take the verifymy.io route, the service will use your email address to determine your age. It reportedly does this by scanning apps and websites where you’ve previously used the same email ID to infer your likely age range. If that fails, the service will provide alternative methods like ID scan or facial age estimation.

You can also manually verify your age for the Google Play Store using this link. The available verification methods will vary based on your country and region, with some users required to upload ID documents, while others may be able to use third-party services for verification.

There have been reports of users being locked out of Google Search for failing age verification checks. It remains to be seen whether Google will adopt a similar approach for Play Store verification or provide users with more flexible options to confirm their age.

Why is Google requiring age verification for using its services?

Google first announced its intention to roll out “machine learning-based age estimation model in the US” in February this year. It was a part of the company’s move to safeguard teens under 18 and provide them with more age-appropriate experiences.

Upcoming regulations across several countries and U.S. states would have also required Google to make age verification mandatory for users. In the US, Texas, Utah, and Louisiana have already passed laws requiring users to verify their age before accessing certain online services.

The regulations are yet to go into effect, though. In Texas, the bill was passed on May 27, 2025, and will take effect on January 1, 2026. Meanwhile, California’s bill, approved on October 13, 2025, will only come into force beginning January 1, 2027.

Utah was the first US state to pass the regulation, requiring app stores to verify their users’ age and pass the information to developers.