Spotify: age checks in the UK
18+ music videos and mature podcasts need a Yoti check (facial estimation or ID) in the UK since late July 2025.
Age check for some content or features Music Spotify AB verified 6 September 2026
Facts panel
Everything here is what the service, its vendor or a regulator has published, with the source and the date we read it. No adjectives.
- Domain
- spotify.com
- Age check
- Age check for some content or features, first recorded July 2025
- Triggered by
- adult or mature content
- Applies to
- all UK users
- Methods
- Face scanPhoto ID
- Vendor
- Yoti; in-house or unnamed for
- Last verified
- 6 September 2026
Methods and retention, one row per method
| Method | Provider | Retention, as published | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Facial age estimation (face scan) | Yoti |
“After the age assurance process is complete, Yoti will delete all the user's data.” Quoted from spotify.com; checked 6 September 2026. Held by the vendor. Period as stated: after check. |
spotify.com Primary source · checked 6 September 2026 |
| Photo ID | Yoti |
No published retention period found (checked 6 September 2026). |
spotify.com Primary source · checked 6 September 2026 |
What you will see
- What happens
- 18+ videos and flagged podcasts prompt a Yoti check.
- How long it takes
- Not stated by the service.
- If you decline
- That content stays blocked; music plays normally.
- Official help page
- spotify.com
Questions people ask about Spotify
Does Spotify require age verification in the UK?
For some content or features. As of 6 September 2026, Spotify asks UK users to complete an age check for adult or mature content, applying to all UK users. First recorded July 2025.
Is the Spotify age check a face scan?
A face scan (facial age estimation) is one of 2 recorded methods: Facial age estimation (face scan) and Photo ID. Provider named: Yoti. Which methods a service offers can change; the date each was checked is shown on the page.
What does Spotify keep after the age check?
Facial age estimation (face scan) via Yoti: "After the age assurance process is complete, Yoti will delete all the user's data." (spotify.com; checked 6 September 2026). Photo ID via Yoti: No published retention period found (checked 6 September 2026).
What if the Spotify age check is not working?
This site records what the service publishes; it does not troubleshoot or offer workarounds. Spotify's own help page is https://www.spotify.com/uk/safetyandprivacy/age-assurance. The service lists 2 methods, so a second method may be offered if one fails: Facial age estimation (face scan) and Photo ID. If you do not complete the check, the service states: That content stays blocked; music plays normally.
Regulator actions
No Ofcom or ICO action naming this service is recorded as of 6 September 2026.
Sources for this entry
- Spotify UK age assurance service policy
Changes to this record
- — seed: record created from research/01 and research/02 seed
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