The alternative workflow will require pre-saved electronic ID credentials without the need to enter personal details

The highest-profile launch of Apple age verification has been in the UK. Those on the developer beta track last month got a preview of the new age verification process in iOS 26.4 Beta 2. The company later said that this was an error and that it shouldn’t have been included in the beta at the time, but it went live last week.

Age verification is now required in the UK on iOS 26.4. If you're in the UK and aren't 18 or over (or can't prove you are), then certain restrictions get applied.

In iOS 26.4, users are prompted to add a credit card or driver’s licence to prove they are an adult. But many iPhone users have been unable to verify their age.

Among the players already visible in the European market for age verification are Yoti, which TikTok is using in Europe for this purpose along with other methods such as credit cards and documents, and Persona, which is an identity- and age-verification provider used by platforms such as Roblox, Discord, and Reddit.

An iPhone user found himself stuck trying to deal with Apple's age verification setup.

As digital ecosystems continue to scale globally, identity verification has become a foundational requirement for maintaining platform integrity. Among the various authentication methods available today,