New time limits in iOS 27, iPadOS 27, and macOS 27 or later give parents more flexible ways to manage the time their kids spend in apps across categories, including entertainment, games, and social media. Time allowances have been developed based on expert research and tailored to the child’s age to provide parents with a useful starting point. Parents can adjust these settings based on what they think is best for their child. Time limit categories are different from user discovery categories in the App Store.
Entertainment and games
Your app or game will appear in the Time Limit category based on the information you provide in App Store Connect. Apps and games that have Entertainment or Games selected as the primary or secondary category in App Store Connect will be sorted into the corresponding Time Limit categories.
Social media
The Social Media Time Limit category is based on whether your app or game offers social media capabilities, regardless of the category selected in App Store Connect. This includes the ability to redistribute, amplify, or interact with user-generated content through a social feed or similar discovery method that visibly distributes content to many users. Starting in July 2026, the age rating questionnaire will be updated so you can indicate whether your app or game has social media capabilities.
- If you indicate that your app or game has social media capabilities, it will be placed in the Social Media Time Limit category and will have a minimum age rating of 13+.
- If you indicate that your app or game has social media capabilities, but they are disabled for anyone under 13, it will not be included in the Social Media Time Limit for Users Under 13 category. You should also (at a minimum) use the Declared Age Range API to check user age ranges. If you select this option, your total responses in the Age Rating Questionnaire will determine your age rating and may result in a rating lower than 13+. Your app or game may still be grouped into the Game or Entertainment Time Limit category based on the primary or secondary category selected in App Store Connect, and will remain in the Social Media category for users 13 and older.
Starting in September 2026, you will need to indicate whether your app or game includes social media capabilities to submit new versions or updates to the App Store, or to be notarized for distribution on alternative app marketplaces.
Design safe and age-appropriate experiences for your apps and games
