An iPhone user in a unique situation found himself stuck trying to verify his age on the new iOS update, which requires users in some locations to prove they are aged over 18.
Reddit user Supes1975, posting to the r/iOS forum, shared that he is 50 years old, but he didn’t have the documents available that would prove he was old enough to use his phone.
“Apple seem to assume everyone over 18 has a credit card, but I’m 50 years old and never had one,” the original poster (OP) wrote.
“I don’t have a passport or photo driving license either, so I guess I’m stuck.”
A Solution
The OP, however, discovered a solution.
In a separate thread, a Reddit contributor offered advice about iOS 26.4 and age-verification laws in the United Kingdom. Supes1975 commented, reiterated his problem with the new policy.
“If you have a Paypal account and set up PayPal Credit, which gives you a PayPal Credit card, you can add it to your Apple Wallet and it will be used to pass the age verification as an adult,” user DuncanV87 posted.
Supers1975 later edited his post to say that the solution worked: “I solved the problem after reading a post in another section.
“I applied for a virtual credit card in my PayPal app and added it to my Apple wallet. That then allowed me to pass the verification test.”
Tightening Regulations
Apple’s age verification is debated, but it falls in line with laws that have tightened regulations on children and teens using social media in multiple countries.
In the UK, users are asked to prove they are 18 in order to access certain services and apps.
In December, Australia passed laws banning social media for anyone under the age of 16—a first worldwide.
Three months prior, Brazil passed age-verification laws aimed at ensuring that children don’t end up on sites featuring adult content. The law went into place on March 17 and platforms could face hefty fines—or even bans—if they don’t follow protocols.
Apple did address one common complaint with its latest iOS update: Users have railed against the iPhone’s keyboard, noting multiple bugs including lag, typos and oddly spaced keys.
Still, the age-verification rollout hasn’t been entirely smooth or popular among Apple users.
Newsweek has reached out to Supes1975 for comment via Reddit. We could not verify the details of the case.
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