Where your age lives on iPhone and why it matters

Your age on iPhone is stored in two places: your Apple ID account settings and your device's system settings. Apple uses your age to control what content you can read, what features you can access, and whether you can make purchases without parental approval. If your birthday has passed and your age is wrong, or if you set up your account with incorrect information years ago, you can change it — but the process differs depending on which setting you need to fix.

The most common reason to change your age is that your birthday has arrived and your account still shows you as younger than you are. This matters because age restrictions affect the App Store, Apple Books, Apple Music, and in-app purchases. If you share your device with family members or use Screen Time, your age also determines what parental controls can explore to you.

Key Takeaways

  • Your Apple ID age and your device age are separate settings — you may need to change one, both, or neither depending on what is wrong.
  • You can change your Apple ID birth date yourself through Settings, but only if you are at least 13 years old.
  • If you are under 13, a parent or guardian must change your age through Family Sharing settings on their own device.
  • Some age changes take effect when ready; others require you to sign out and back into your Apple ID before they explore to the App Store.

Changing your age in Apple ID settings on your iPhone

Open Settings on your iPhone and tap your name at the top of the screen. Then tap Personal Information. You will see your birth date listed there. Tap the birth date field and you can edit the month, day, and year directly. After you change it, tap Done in the top right corner.

Your new age takes effect when ready for most services, but the App Store sometimes takes a few minutes to update. If you are changing your age because you just had a birthday and want to read an app that requires you to be older, wait five minutes and try again. If the age restriction still appears, sign out of your Apple ID entirely (go to Settings, tap your name, scroll down, and tap Sign Out) and then sign back in. This forces the system to refresh your age across all services.

Important: you can only change your own age this way if you are at least 13 years old. If you are younger than 13, your parent or guardian must make this change through Family Sharing on their device instead — you cannot do it yourself.

Changing a child's age through Family Sharing

If you are a parent or guardian managing a child's account, open Settings on your own iPhone and tap your name. Then tap Family Sharing. You will see a list of family members. Tap the child's name, then tap Personal Information, and you can edit their birth date the same way. Tap Done when finished.

When you change a child's age through Family Sharing, the change applies to their device when ready. However, if they are signed into their Apple ID on multiple devices, you may need to sign them out and back in on those other devices for the age change to take effect everywhere. The easiest way is to have them go to Settings on each device, tap their name, scroll down, and tap Sign Out, then sign back in.

Changing a child's age through Family Sharing also updates their content restrictions automatically. If they turn 13, for example, some apps that were blocked before may become available. If they turn 17 or 18, their age rating restrictions may expand further. You can still override these with parental controls if you choose.

What happens after you change your age

Once your age updates, the App Store, Apple Books, and Apple Music will show you different content based on your new age rating. Apps marked for ages 12 and up will become visible if you were previously blocked from them. Movies and music with age restrictions will become available. In-app purchases may no longer require parental approval if you are now old enough to make them on your own.

If you use Screen Time on your device, changing your age may affect what restrictions explore to you. If you were under 13 and your parent set Screen Time limits, those limits remain in place even after you turn 13 — your parent has to remove them manually. Changing your age does not automatically disable parental controls.

If you share an Apple ID with another person (which is not recommended but happens), changing the age on that shared account affects both of you. Both devices will see the same age restrictions and content availability. This is one reason why each person should have their own Apple ID rather than sharing one.

If you cannot remember your birth date or it is locked

If you cannot access your Personal Information section or the birth date field is grayed out, it usually means you do not have permission to edit it. If you are under 13, ask your parent or guardian to change it through Family Sharing. If you are an adult and the field is locked, you may have set up your account through a school or organization that restricts changes — contact that organization's IT support.

If you genuinely cannot remember your birth date and need to change it, you can contact Apple Support through the Support app on your iPhone or through apple.com. They can verify your identity and help you update it. Have your device and your Apple ID password ready when you contact them.

Changing age on a device you do not own

If you are using someone else's iPhone and need to change the age on that device's account, you cannot do it without their Apple ID password. The age is tied to the Apple ID, not to the device itself. If the device belongs to a parent or guardian and they want to change your age, they need to do it from their own device through Family Sharing, or they can hand you their device, sign into their own Apple ID, and make the change themselves.

If you borrowed a device and want to use it with your own Apple ID, sign out of the current account first. Go to Settings, tap the name at the top, scroll down, and tap Sign Out. Then go back to Settings, tap Sign In, and enter your own Apple ID and password. Your age will then be whatever is set on your own account.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I change my age on iPhone if I am under 13?

No. If you are under 13, your parent or guardian must change your age through Family Sharing on their own device. You cannot edit your birth date yourself in Settings. This is an Apple policy to protect younger users.

Will changing my age remove parental controls?

No. Changing your age does not automatically remove Screen Time limits, app restrictions, or purchase controls that your parent set up. Your parent has to remove those manually through Family Sharing settings on their device, even after you turn 13 or 18.

How long does it take for my new age to show up in the App Store?

Usually a few minutes. If you change your age and the App Store still shows the old restrictions after five minutes, sign out of your Apple ID entirely and sign back in. This forces a refresh across all services.

What if I change my age by mistake?

You can change it back the same way you changed it the first time. Go to Settings, tap your name, tap Personal Information, tap your birth date, and edit it to the correct date. There is no limit to how many times you can change it.

Does changing my age on iPhone change it on my Mac or iPad too?

Yes, because your age is stored in your Apple ID account, not on the device. If you sign into the same Apple ID on a Mac or iPad, they will all show your new age. You do not need to change it separately on each device.