Microsoft has announced changes to child safety and account privacy features on Windows 11, including the introduction of the Windows Age API, which will bring age assurance capabilities directly into the operating system.
The move could be seen as a proactive step by the company amid growing debates over how technology platforms determine users’ ages and comply with child safety regulations.
Microsoft has faced less public scrutiny over age assurance than Apple and Google, which operate mobile devices, their operating systems and app stores.
The Windows Age API follows a model already established by Apple and adopted by Google, where an age range declared during device registration can be used to determine the content and features available to users.
According to Microsoft’s developer blog, “these APIs are designed for apps that need to comply with child safety regulations without requiring the app to collect, store, or process date of birth or other personally identifiable information.”
The company added: “Apps use these signals to adapt content, features, or access controls based on a user’s age and verified status – without needing to implement their own age verification system.”
Microsoft’s system divides users into five age categories: under 10, 10-12, 13-15, 16-17 and 18 or older.
The operating system-based approach is increasingly favoured by online services facing age assurance requirements, particularly social media platforms and adult content websites.
In the UK, Pornhub, the flagship adult streaming platform owned by Aylo, is available only to Apple users because Apple devices allow users to select device-based verification.
However, there is growing pressure for device-level age systems to be treated as part of a broader age assurance compliance framework rather than as a complete solution on their own.
The Age Verification Providers Association (AVPA) has argued that systems based on declared age ranges should be legally recognised and regulated as parental control frameworks rather than age assurance systems.
The distinction reflects concerns over whether a declared age can provide sufficient certainty for platforms required to establish a user’s age.
The AVPA is also part of a working group developing an international standard for online parental consent systems.
The proposed standard is expected to provide a framework for the design, specification, evaluation and deployment of systems that manage parental consent online.
