Gerald Versluis presents a comprehensive guide to implementing age verification across Android, iOS, and Windows in .NET MAUI apps, with details on meeting upcoming legal compliance requirements.

Cross-Platform Age Verification in .NET MAUI Applications

Overview

New legislation in Texas (Jan 1, 2026), Utah (May 7, 2026), and Louisiana (July 1, 2026) requires apps to verify user ages. This guide walks you through building age verification in your .NET MAUI apps using platform-specific APIs for Android, iOS, and Windows, supported by a sample repository to accelerate development.

Legal Compliance Deadlines

Texas: January 1, 2026
Utah: May 7, 2026
Louisiana: July 1, 2026

Non-compliance may lead to fines and app store removal.

Platforms & APIs

Android: Google Play Age Signals API — returns age status (VERIFIED, SUPERVISED, etc.) based on jurisdiction.
iOS: Apple Declared Age Range API — provides age range and verification status (works only on iOS 26.0+ and requires bridging between Swift and .NET).
Windows: Windows Age Consent API — categorizes users as Child, Minor, or Adult.

Implementation in .NET MAUI

Unified Interface

Define a IAgeSignalService to abstract platform APIs:

public interface IAgeSignalService {
    Task<AgeVerificationResult> RequestAgeVerificationAsync(int minimumAge = 13, object? platformContext = null);
    Task<AgeVerificationResult> RequestAgeVerificationAsync(AgeVerificationRequest request);
    string GetPlatformName();
}

Platform-Specific Services

Use conditional files like AgeSignalService.Android.cs, AgeSignalService.iOS.cs, and AgeSignalService.Windows.cs to handle API integration. The build system selects the right implementation for each target platform.

Dependency Registration

builder.Services.AddSingleton<IAgeSignalService, AgeSignalService>();
builder.Services.AddSingleton<MainPage>();

Platform Requirements

Android: Device with Google Play Store, Android 6.0+, Xamarin.Google.Android.Play.Age.Signals NuGet package. Works only in necessary jurisdictions.
iOS: iOS 26.0+, real device, com.apple.developer.declared-age-range entitlement, Family Sharing, XCFramework bindings for Swift-to-.NET interop.
Windows: Windows 11+ (Build 22000+), UserAccountInformation capability in your manifest.

Usage Considerations

Know the legal requirements for your app users’ locations.
Clearly explain why age verification is needed to end users.
Design for graceful failure if age verification is unavailable.
Use collected data solely for compliance, not for analytics or ads.
Test on actual devices, as simulators do not support all platform-specific APIs (especially for iOS).

Links & Resources

Final Notes

The sample provides guidance and ready-to-use code for your projects. Pay attention to regional laws and deadlines. For questions, consult the provided documentation and reach out in community forums.

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