HomeMicrosoft Rolls Out Age Verification for Xbox Accounts in the UK
Microsoft is now implementing age verification for Xbox players in the UK, in line with the Online Safety Act. Players who state they are over 18 will now see prompts to verify their age upon signing into their Xbox account in the UK. The company is also looking at introducing similar verification tools in other countries.
For the UK rollout, Microsoft has partnered with Yoti, a verification service known for its robust security. While these checks are currently optional, they will become mandatory for accessing a range of Xbox services by early 2026, when further provisions of the Online Safety Act take effect.
“Beginning early next year, UK players will need to complete age verification to maintain full access to social features like voice chat, text communication, and game invites,” said Kim Kunes, Xbox’s Vice President of Gaming Trust and Safety. Players who do not verify their age by that time will see their social features restricted to friends-only interactions until the process is complete.
“Age verification status will not impact any past purchases, entitlements, gameplay history, or achievements, nor affect the ability to play or buy games,” Kunes clarified. “However, we recommend completing this one-time verification now to ensure uninterrupted access to Xbox social features in the future.”
Although this initiative is currently focused on the UK, Kunes added, “We plan to expand age verification processes to more regions going forward.” Microsoft has not specified which regions will be next, but Kunes noted that “the implementation may vary across different regions and user experiences.”
UK-based players can verify their age online through Microsoft’s portal using a selfie, a passport or driver’s license scan, a credit card check, or a mobile number.
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Comments (2)
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![JoseJackson]()
About time! But why only UK? Microsoft needs to roll this out globally. Kids lying about their age is a huge issue. 😤
![JeffreyHarris]()
Oh brilliant, another hoop to jump through. Because nothing says "fun gaming experience" like proving your birth year every time you log in. 🙄 I get the safety angle, but this feels like a classic case of over-engineering a solution to a problem that barely exists. Watch it backfire and annoy more legit players than it actually protects.
Microsoft is now implementing age verification for Xbox players in the UK, in line with the Online Safety Act. Players who state they are over 18 will now see prompts to verify their age upon signing into their Xbox account in the UK. The company is also looking at introducing similar verification tools in other countries.
For the UK rollout, Microsoft has partnered with Yoti, a verification service known for its robust security. While these checks are currently optional, they will become mandatory for accessing a range of Xbox services by early 2026, when further provisions of the Online Safety Act take effect.
“Beginning early next year, UK players will need to complete age verification to maintain full access to social features like voice chat, text communication, and game invites,” said Kim Kunes, Xbox’s Vice President of Gaming Trust and Safety. Players who do not verify their age by that time will see their social features restricted to friends-only interactions until the process is complete.
“Age verification status will not impact any past purchases, entitlements, gameplay history, or achievements, nor affect the ability to play or buy games,” Kunes clarified. “However, we recommend completing this one-time verification now to ensure uninterrupted access to Xbox social features in the future.”
Although this initiative is currently focused on the UK, Kunes added, “We plan to expand age verification processes to more regions going forward.” Microsoft has not specified which regions will be next, but Kunes noted that “the implementation may vary across different regions and user experiences.”
UK-based players can verify their age online through Microsoft’s portal using a selfie, a passport or driver’s license scan, a credit card check, or a mobile number.
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About time! But why only UK? Microsoft needs to roll this out globally. Kids lying about their age is a huge issue. 😤
Oh brilliant, another hoop to jump through. Because nothing says "fun gaming experience" like proving your birth year every time you log in. 🙄 I get the safety angle, but this feels like a classic case of over-engineering a solution to a problem that barely exists. Watch it backfire and annoy more legit players than it actually protects.
