eSAFETY GUIDE

Apple Account

13+
Minimum age according to Apple (or younger with the permission of a parent or guardian)
13+ Minimum age according to Apple (or younger with the permission of a parent or guardian)

What is an Apple Account?

An Apple Account (formerly known as an Apple ID) is a personal account used to access all Apple services and products, ensuring Apple devices like iPhone, iPad and Mac all function together. This includes services such as the App Store, iCloud, Messages, FaceTime, Siri and many more. You sign up for an Apple Account with an email address and a secure password. Your account includes all the information you use to sign in, as well as the contact, payment and security details used across Apple services. It is recommended that you use two-factor authentication to secure your account and protect your personal information.

Apple Accounts are also used with Family Sharing, which lets up to six family members share access to Apple services. To access Family Sharing, each family member needs their own Apple Account. Children under the age of 13 need a parent or guardian to set up their Apple Account. Family Sharing lets family members share subscriptions to music, film, TV and games and gives children access to Apple services, while also allowing parents and carers to set age-based parental controls.

Apple Accounts can also be used to share your location and to track the location of linked devices through the ‘Find My’ feature. You can choose to turn on Find My when you sign into a device with your Apple Account, and you can turn it on or off in the Settings app. Find My shows all devices linked to your Apple Account (as well as any family members’ devices, if you have the feature enabled). While this feature is designed for safety and security, it could also be misused to control and track another person. Safety Check, in Privacy & Security in Settings, allows you to quickly review, update and stop sharing your information with individual people and apps. Read more about coercive control.

Apple has several in-built tools to help protect kids online:

  • Child Accounts come with default age-based parental controls, content filters, and app restrictions.
  • Communication Limits is parental control that parents can turn on to manage who their child can call or message, including during Downtime.
  • Communication Safety warns under 18s if they are about to see or send a photo or video that contains nudity in Messages, FaceTime, AirDrop, shared albums in Photos, Contact Posters in the Phone app and in the Contacts app. It blurs the content and offers ways to get help.
  • Ask to Buy requires parent or guardian approval before a child can download or purchase apps, movies, TV shows, music, books and more. Parents can approve or decline requests in Messages on their own device.
  • Age Range for Apps allows parents to share their child’s age range – but not their actual birthday or exact age – with apps, so the content and experiences provided are age-appropriate. Parents can enable Age Range for Apps when setting up a new Child Account. For existing Child Accounts, go to the Settings app, choose Family, then choose the child account that you want to edit. Choose Apple Account & Password, then Age Range for Apps to choose whether apps can always access the child account’s age range or if they should ask permission first.
  • Default safety protections for under 13s, and teenagers aged 13-17, which are switched on automatically when they sign into their device with their Apple Account.

An in-app option allows Australians to report nude images directly to Apple, if they are flagged by the Communication Safety or Sensitive Content Warning features. Communication Safety is switched on by default for the accounts of Australian children under 18 who are part of a Family Sharing group. Adults can opt in to receive Sensitive Content Warnings.

Apple does not share user or device usage data from Apple Accounts with advertisers or third-party companies for advertising purposes.

Website: https://account.apple.com

How do people use Apple IDs?

Learn more about the benefits and risks associated with how people use online accounts like Apple IDs.

Apple IDs are used for: encrypted, gaming, in-app purchasing, live streaming, location sharing, messaging/online chat, online relationships, photo/video sharing, screen capture, video calling, voice chat and voice command.

Apple Account social media age restrictions FAQs update

Some app developers are also signing up to new tools that help you prove your age. For example, if you’re 16 and your Apple Account is managed through Family Sharing, your parent or carer can turn on Age Range for Apps, which allows you to share your age range – but not your actual birthday or exact age – with apps.

This could allow apps that are age-restricted social media platforms to receive this signal that you are 16+, and take this into account as they are reviewing accounts to make sure they are held by people over 16.

How can you protect your personal information?

These links are provided by Apple ID:

Key safety links

These links are provided by Apple and Apple ID:

Social media changes are coming

From 10 December 2025, certain social media platforms won’t be allowed to let Australian children under 16 create or keep an account.

Find out more at eSafety’s social media age restrictions hub.

About The eSafety Guide

The eSafety Guide helps you find out how to protect your personal information and report harmful content on common social media, games, apps and sites. Entries are for information only and are not reviews or endorsements by eSafety. Before choosing to use any online service or platform it’s best to:

  • do your own research to understand the risks and benefits
  • check the age rating and requirements
  • consider privacy
  • check the permissions and other settings
  • check the in-app reporting options.

If you are a parent or carer who is deciding whether a child should be allowed to use an online service or platform, you can also:

  • consider your child's readiness for the types of content and experiences they might encounter
  • help them understand what to do if they need help
  • provide ongoing support and monitoring, for example through regular check-ins with your child
  • agree to some rules about use of each service or platform.

To find out more, you can read the App checklist for parents, as well as information about parental controls in social media, games and apps and mental wellbeing resources for families.