How to verify age on Character AI, step by step

I like that there are two ways in, because a prompt that pops up mid-conversation is the worst time to deal with paperwork.

Here's the process as the official pages describe it:

• Open Settings, then Advanced, then Verify Age, on the web or in the mobile app
• Or answer the prompt when Character AI shows it to you
• The check itself is handled by Persona, which the company calls a trusted identity assurance provider
• Persona handles every age assurance attempt, not Character AI's own staff

That's everything the records confirm about the steps. They don't say which documents Persona asks for, whether a selfie is involved, or how long a result takes. I won't guess at any of it, and I'd be careful with any page that describes the screens in detail without naming a source.

My take: if you plan to keep your account, do it from Settings when you have some quiet time rather than waiting for a prompt. You stay in control of when it happens, and you can read each screen properly before you share anything.

Some readers decide they'd rather not go through an identity check at all. That's a fair choice. If that's you, clean up first: my guide on deleting your Character AI chats before you leave walks through it.

The table right after this, "The apps side by side", lines Character AI up with five other companion apps on content policy, free start and price, in case you're weighing a move.

So if you're asking what the age requirement for Character AI is, those are the two answers, depending on where you live. The records don't show a separate threshold for c.ai+ or (c.ai) lite, so paying doesn't seem to change the rule. The age limit and the verification check are also two separate things. One is who may use the service. The other is how Character AI confirms it.

To keep the four numbers straight:

• 13: Character AI's general minimum, per its help centre and terms
• 16: the minimum for EU citizens and residents
• 18+: Apple's store rating, set by Apple
• Verify Age: the check Character AI runs through Persona when required

My view: the mix of numbers is confusing, and I'd like Character AI to put them on one clear page anyone can open. Right now the age requirement article returned an error to direct fetch while other help articles opened fine. If you're in doubt about your own account, the help centre and the in-app prompt are the places to trust over any forum thread.

For everything else about the app, from free chat to c.ai+ at $9.99 monthly, my full Character AI review covers it plan by plan. Age rules aside, the free tier with unlimited messaging is still one of the easiest starts in the category.

Here's how I'd think about the honest options:

• Verify through Settings > Advanced > Verify Age, and keep your characters and chats
• Wait and see if a prompt ever appears for your account, since the app asks "when required"
• Delete your account for good: on the web that's Profile Settings > Account > Manage Account & Data > Delete Account
• Move to another app whose sign-up rules and content policy suit you better

Before you pick the delete option, think about what you'd lose: every character you built, every conversation and any c.ai+ time you've paid for. Deletion is final. The help centre says account deletion "is permanent and cannot be reversed," so copy anything you care about first. On mobile the path is Profile, then the Settings icon, then Remove Account.

If you're moving, it helps to know what you're moving toward. The apps on this page differ far more in content policy and free start than in anything else. Character AI's content policy on file is none, meaning no adult content on any plan.

SpicyChat, Nomi AI and OurDream AI allow adult content under their policies, while Candy AI and GirlfriendGPT keep it to paid plans. The facts on file for those five don't describe their own sign-up checks, so I can't compare the verification step itself.

The box below sums up OurDream AI. It lists group chat, voice calls, images and video, and its Standard plan is $19.99 a month. The free plan lists 55 Dreamcoins to start, but its help centre says it does not currently offer free dreamcoins, so treat that number as one that may change.

For a ranked list of apps that cover the same ground as Character AI, character chat and roleplay first, see my Character AI alternatives list. My personal advice: pick the next app on what it does well, not only on what its sign-up asks for.

What I can't tell you is what Persona keeps. The records on file don't include Persona's own retention rules, what it sends back to Character AI, or how long any of it is stored. That's a gap, and I won't fill it with guesses.

If this matters to you, read the notice on each verification screen before you continue, and look for a link to the provider's privacy policy there.

What the records do show is how Character AI treats the data you share with it in general. The company says it keeps certain data so it can train and improve its AI models. If you live in the EEA or UK, you're allowed to opt out: in the app, open Settings > Data & Privacy; on the web, it's Settings > Account > Manage Account & Data > Model Improvement, where you untick "Improve the Model for Everyone." Opting out doesn't cover everything, though: your data can still feed search, recommendations and safety classifiers.

My opinion: an identity check plus model training on chats is a lot of trust to give one service, so be deliberate about it. The check is a one-time step. What you type afterwards is the bigger privacy question, and it stays true whether or not you verify.

A few habits I'd suggest for anyone on any companion app:

Keep real names, addresses and workplace details out of your chats. Use the opt-out if you're in a region that has it. And if you ever decide to leave, delete the account through the official path rather than just uninstalling, since uninstalling leaves the account in place.

My help section for companion app questions has short answers on deleting chats, filters and billing across the apps on this site. It's the fastest place to find one specific answer without reading a full review.

I'd also separate this from bans. Nothing on file links an age prompt to a banned or restricted account, so don't panic if you see one. Answer it through the official screen, and if something goes wrong, contact support rather than opening a second account.

So verify first, or at least decide whether you're willing to, before you subscribe. Then pay if the extras still appeal: no ads, 30 memory pins, unlimited premium chat styles and no slow mode.

A note on the annual plan: $94.99 works out to about $7.92 a month against $9.99 monthly, a real saving. Twelve months is a lot to lock in when there's no refund, so I'd only take it once your account is settled and you're sure you're staying.

On cancelling: web subscribers go to Settings > Account > Manage, enter their account email and get a secure link to the Customer Portal. If you subscribed in an app store, Apple or Google Play handles the cancelling.

If you want to know where these facts come from and how they're dated, my note on how I check the apps on this site explains the sources. Everything here comes from official pages, with the age figures flagged where they came from search snippets.

Verify to keep your account in good standing, not to change the kind of stories the app will write.

That's also why I'd never pay c.ai+ hoping for a content change. The paid extras are about comfort: fewer ads, better memory, higher daily limits. The content line stays where it is. Content rules on this app get their own page, Character AI and adult content explained, if you want the longer answer.

What I appreciate about the setup, in fairness, is that it's clear who runs the check and where to find it. Settings > Advanced > Verify Age is a documented path, not a hidden one, and it works on web and mobile alike.

If the idea of an identity check makes you uneasy, don't force yourself. Delete your chats and account the official way and move on to an app that suits you. There's no shame in either choice, and neither costs you anything upfront.

The one thing I'd skip is anything that promises a shortcut past the check. It risks the account you were trying to keep, and it solves nothing the two honest routes don't already solve.

If you're somewhere in between, give yourself a deadline instead of a shortcut. Read the Persona screens, read the privacy notes on training, and decide within the week. Leaving the question open just means the prompt will decide for you at a worse moment, usually in the middle of a story you care about.