You can communicate familiar and locally relevant content ratings to your users and help improve app engagement by targeting the right audience for your content.

To prevent your apps from being listed as “Unrated,” sign in to your Play Console and fill out the questionnaire for each of your apps as soon as possible. “Unrated” apps may be removed from Google Play. Note: All apps and games on Google Play must comply with the Google Play Developer Program Policies.

Ratings

To receive a rating for each of your apps and games, you fill out a rating questionnaire on the Play Console about the nature of your apps’ content and receive a content rating from multiple rating authorities. Since they are independent third party rating authorities, each rating authority uses their own methodology to assign your ratings (see Rating authorities & descriptions below). The ratings assigned to your app displayed on Google Play are determined by your questionnaire responses.

You’re responsible for completing the content rating questionnaire for:

New apps submitted on the Play Console

Existing apps that are active on Google Play

All app updates where there has been a change to app content or features that would affect the responses to the questionnaire

To benefit users, developers should use the assigned rating when advertising their app in each respective region, subject to display guidelines.

App ratings are not meant to reflect the intended audience. The ratings are intended to help consumers, especially parents, identify potentially objectionable content that exists within an app.

All rating icons are protected trademarks of the respective rating authority and their misuse may result in legal action. More information about rating icon usage can be found on each rating authority’s website.

Important: Make sure to provide accurate responses to the content rating questionnaire. If you have questions about the rating assigned to your app, contact the rating authority directly using the link provided in your certificate email. Misrepresentation of your app’s content may result in removal or suspension.

Take your app’s rating questionnaire

Sign in to your Play Console. Select an app. On the left menu, click Store presence > Content Rating. Review information about the questionnaire and type your email address. Your email address will be used for correspondence with IARC. Click Continue. Select a category. Complete the questionnaire. To change any of your responses after you’ve completed a section, click Edit .

. If you’ve started taking the questionnaire and want to finish later, click Save draft. Each app can have one draft questionnaire at a time. Click Calculate app rating. On your ratings summary page, click Apply rating to my app.

After you’ve applied ratings to your app, you can review your ratings and questionnaires on your Content Rating page. If you want to retake the questionnaire for your app, click Start new questionnaire on your Content Rating page.

Additional information

Your app can earn different ratings in different territories. Because rating standards can have differences by territory, each rating authority uses its own logic when rating apps.

Rating authorities participating in IARC may change your app's rating after a review. If your app rating is overridden by a rating authority and you want to update your responses, you’ll need to complete the questionnaire again.

Note: The calculated rating shown may not be the rating shown to users on Google Play. App updates and submissions can be rejected for misrepresenting your app's content. Your questionnaire responses may be used to generate ratings for specific territories as required by local law.

Rating appeals

If you object to the rating assigned to your app by a participating IARC rating authority, you have the right to appeal directly using the link provided in your certificate email. If you have other questions about IARC not related to appeals, you can contact them on their website.

How ratings are used

Inform consumers, especially parents, of potentially objectionable content within an app.

Block or filter your content in certain territories or to specific users where legally required.

Evaluate your app’s eligibility for special developer programs.

Rating authorities & descriptions

Rating Description EVERYONE Content is generally suitable for all ages. May contain minimal cartoon, fantasy or mild violence and/or infrequent use of mild language. EVERYONE 10+ Content is generally suitable for ages 10 and up. May contain more cartoon, fantasy or mild violence, mild language and/or minimal suggestive themes. TEEN Content is generally suitable for ages 13 and up. May contain violence, suggestive themes, crude humor, minimal blood, simulated gambling and/or infrequent use of strong language. MATURE Content is generally suitable for ages 17 and up. May contain intense violence, blood and gore, sexual content and/or strong language. ADULTS ONLY Content suitable only for adults ages 18 and up. May include prolonged scenes of intense violence, graphic sexual content and/or gambling with real currency. Learn more on the ESRB website Locations Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Bolivia, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Greenland, Grenada, Guatemala, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Jamaica, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago, United States of America, Uruguay, and Venezuela

Rating Description PEGI 3 The content of apps with this rating is considered suitable for all age groups. Some violence in a comical context (typically cartoonlike - Bugs Bunny or Tom & Jerry - forms of violence) is acceptable. A child should not be able to associate the character on the screen with real life characters, they should be distinctly fantasy. The app should not contain any sounds or pictures that are likely to scare young children. No bad language should be heard. PEGI 7 Any app that would normally be rated at 3 but contains some scenes or sounds that can possibly be frightening for children may be considered suitable in this category. There can only be very mild violence in a PEGI 7 app, like implied violence or non-detailed, non-realistic violence. PEGI 12 Games or apps that show violence of a slightly more graphic nature towards fantasy characters, or non-graphic violence towards human-looking characters or animals would fall in this age category, as well as nudity of a slightly more graphic nature and simulated gambling. Any bad language in this category must be mild and fall short of sexual expletives. PEGI 16 Once the depiction of violence or sexual activity reaches a stage that looks the same as would be expected in real life, this rating is applied. Stronger inappropriate language, encouraging the use of tobacco or drugs and depicting criminal activities can be content of apps that are rated 16. PEGI 18 The adult classification is applied when the level of violence reaches a stage where it becomes a depiction of gross violence and/or includes elements of specific types of violence (motiveless killing, violence towards defenceless characters or sexual violence). It may also include graphic sexual content, discrimination or the glamorisation of illegal drugs use. PARENTAL GUIDANCE RECOMMENDED Apps do not always have predefined content that can be classified beforehand. Certain apps function as portals (e.g. to stream content), offering a broad, variable range of content from which consumers can choose. For these apps, we use the parental guidance icon, alerting parents that the app may provide access to content that is not appropriate for their child, although other, age-appropriate content may also be available, depending on the selection of the user. Learn more on the PEGI website Locations Austria-Denmark, Belgium, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Estonia, Finland, France, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovak Republic, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, and United Kingdom

Rating Description All ages

Apps without age restriction feature contents without youth protection relevance. They can be directly aimed at children and young persons but also at an adult audience. For instance, utility programs, product catalogues or tool apps fall into this category as well as social networks in which all user-generated content is being thoroughly reviewed, filtered or moderated. USK: Ages 6 and above

Apps in this category can contain elements that may not be appropriate for pre-school children. They may contain occasional scary moments, a low accumulation of mild cursing or subtle erotic innuendo. If violent imageries are present they remain abstract and are not decisive for the overall product. Games in this age category can still be categorized as family-friendly but involve more exciting and competitive aspects. USK: Ages 12 and above

Apps in this category can have an impairing effect on younger children through the inclusion of scary elements, shock effects, some explicit language, sexual contents or occasional violent imageries. Games in this category can feature much more of a competitive edge and hectic gameplay. Please keep in mind that in social networks or user-generated content might generally contribute to the youth protection relevance. USK: Ages 16 and above

Some realistically designed displays of violence, an accumulation of shock and horror elements, consistently explicit language or apps with an erotic or sexual focus are summarized in this category. Games frequently feature armed combat, a framework story and military missions. The genres in this categorization also include action adventures, military strategy games and first person shooter. USK: Ages 18 and above

Among other aspects such as the unquestioned display of drug use for example, realistic and explicit violence is the most common reason for the 18+ classification of these apps. Games in this age category virtually always involve violent game concepts that are prominent in the majority of game objectives. Learn more on the USK website

Note: Australian Classification Board ratings are only issued for games. Rating Description General The content is very mild in impact. The G classification is suitable for everyone. G products may contain classifiable elements such as language and themes that are very mild in impact. However, some G-classified computer games may contain content that is not of interest to children. Parental Guidance The content is mild in impact. The impact of PG (Parental Guidance) classified computer games should be no higher than mild, but they may contain content that children find confusing or upsetting and may require the guidance of parents and guardians. They may, for example, contain classifiable elements such as language and themes that are mild in impact. It is not recommended for viewing or playing by persons under 15 without guidance from parents or guardians. Mature The content is moderate in impact. Computer games classified M (Mature) contain content of a moderate impact and are recommended for teenagers aged 15 years and over. Children under 15 may legally access this material because it is an advisory category. However, M classified computer games may include classifiable elements such as violence and nudity of moderate impact that are not recommended for children under 15 years. Parents and guardians may need to find out more about the computer game’s specific content, before deciding whether the material is suitable for their child. Restricted The content is strong in impact. MA 15+ classified material contains strong content and is legally restricted to persons 15 years and over. It may contain classifiable elements such as sex scenes and drug use that are strong in impact. A person may be asked to show proof of their age before hiring or purchasing an MA 15+ computer game. Children under the age of 15 may not legally watch, buy or hire MA 15+ classified material unless they are in the company of a parent or adult guardian. The guardian must be an adult exercising parental control over the person under 15 years of age. The guardian needs to be 18 years or older. Restricted The content is high in impact. R 18+ material is legally restricted to adults. Such material may contain classifiable elements such as sex scenes and drug use that are high in impact. Some material classified R18+ may be offensive to sections of the adult community. A person may be asked for proof of their age before purchasing, hiring or viewing R18+ computer games. Learn more on the ACB website

Rating Description All ages The content is not harmful to children of any age. It may contain a little very low impact content, such as cartoon violence. Rated 10+ Some low impact content, especially on younger children. It may contain mildly offensive swearing, weapons, bloodless fights, scary scenes, tobacco/alcohol references, and medicinal use of illegal drugs. Rated 12+ Low impact content. It may contain swearing, sexual dialogs or references, wounds, bleeding, and tobacco/alcohol consumption. Rated 14+ Medium impact content. It may contain death, erotic settings, nudity, and inferences of illegal drug consumption. Rated 16+ Medium impact content. It may contain frequent violence, gore, mutilation, torture, sexual relations, and the consumption of illegal drugs. Rated 18+ High impact content. It may contain sadism, cruelty, encouragement or glamorization of drugs/violence, and explicit sexual relations. Learn more on the ClassInd website

Note: GRAC ratings are only issued for games. Apps use a separate content rating system. Rating Description For all Titles rated ALL have content that may be suitable for all ages. Rated 12+ Titles rated 12+ have content that may be suitable for ages 12 and older. Rated 15+ Titles rated 15+ have content that may be suitable for ages 15 and older. Rated 18+ Titles rated 18+ have content that may be suitable for ages 18 and older. Learn more on the GRAC website

In countries and territories that aren’t represented by a participating rating authority, a separate rating will suggest the age appropriateness of an app or game.

Rating Description Rated for 3+ Suitable for all age groups. Some violence in a comical or fantasy context is acceptable. Bad language is not permitted. Rated for 7+ May contain some scenes or sounds that are frightening for children. Mild violence (implied or non-realistic) is permitted. Rated for 12+ Violence involving fantasy characters and/or non-graphic violence involving human-looking characters or animals is permitted. Non-graphic nudity, mild language and simulated gambling are also permitted, but sexual expletives are not. Rated for 16+ Realistic violence, sexual activity, strong language, use of tobacco and drugs, and the depiction of criminal activities are permitted. Rated for 18+ Graphic violence, including depictions lacking motive and/or directed towards defenseless characters, and sexual violence are permitted. May also include graphic sexual content, discriminatory acts and/or the glamorization of illegal drug use.

The content rating system for apps (not including games) in South Korea is based on the Google Play Rating system. Rating Description Rated 3+ Generally suitable for all audiences. Note that apps with this rating may not be specifically designed for children. Rated 7+ May not be suitable for children under age 7. Note that apps with this rating may not be specifically designed for children. Rated 12+ May not be suitable for children under age 12. Rated 16+ May not be suitable for children under age 16. Rated 18+ Recommended for mature audiences only.

Google Play Rating - Applies in Russia Note: If you haven't filled out the new Content Rating questionnaire, your app(s) will be listed as Unrated. Rating Description Rated 3+ Generally suitable for all audiences. Note that apps with this rating may not be specifically designed for children. Rated 7+ May not be suitable for children under age 7. Note that apps with this rating may not be specifically designed for children. Rated 12+ May not be suitable for children under age 12. Rated 16+ May not be suitable for children under age 16. Rated 18+ Recommended for mature audiences only.

Other

Rating Description Unrated Warning - content has not yet been rated. Unrated apps may potentially contain content appropriate for mature audiences only.

On a limited basis, rating authorities can "refuse classification" for an app distributed in their territory. This means that the distribution of the app or game is not allowed in the rating authority's territory. If an app or game is refused classification in a territory: IARC will notify the app's developer of the decision by email.

In place of a rating from a rating authority, Refused classification will be displayed on the Play Console instead.

Refused classification will be displayed on the Play Console instead. Google Play will remove apps and games with the "Refused classification" designation in the applicable territory only. If one of your apps or games receives this designation and you want to file an appeal, you can appeal using the URL provided in your email notification from IARC.

Country-specific ratings & guidelines