A federal judge blocked Texas from implementing a new age-verification law for app stores on Tuesday. In response, Apple announced it will pause its previously announced plans for the state as it continues to monitor the ongoing legal process. Apple stated that its developer tools for age assurance would remain available for testing and use.
The law, known as SB 2420 or the App Store Accountability Act, would have required app stores like those run by Apple and Google to verify user ages and obtain parental consent for users under 18 to download apps or make purchases. It also would have required that age data be shared with developers. The judge blocked the law’s enforcement, which was set to begin in January, citing First Amendment concerns.
The ruling is a win for tech companies and a setback for Texas lawmakers, who have stated the legal fight will continue. The Texas attorney general’s office has indicated plans to appeal the decision.
To comply with the now-blocked law, Apple had announced new requirements for Texas in October. These included requiring all users under 18 to join a Family Sharing group where a parent or guardian would provide consent for all App Store downloads and purchases. Parents would have been able to revoke consent for any app at any time.
Apple also planned to update its Declared Age Range API, a technology designed to help comply with age-assurance laws, to provide required age categories for new account users in Texas. The company had intended to launch new APIs for developers to request parental consent again if an app received significant updates.
Apple had objected to this law, as well as similar laws set to take effect next year in Utah and Louisiana, on privacy grounds. The company stated that while it shares the goal of strengthening online safety for children, it is concerned the law impacts user privacy by requiring the collection of sensitive personal information to download any app, even for simple purposes like checking weather or sports scores.
Apple announced that other developer tools for complying with new age-assurance laws will remain available for testing. These include its Declared Age Range API, Significant Change API, a new age rating property type in StoreKit, and App Store Server Notifications. The Declared Age Range API remains available worldwide across iOS 26, iPadOS 26, macOS 26, and later.