Ethan Carter
The requirements will also apply to apps that offer AI companion relationships.
Apple’s App Store age requirements will change for dating apps and apps featuring AI companions. Developers will answer new questions in App Store Connect so Apple can assess whether each app’s age rating reflects its content. One question asks whether an app shares a user’s real-world location with another person or group. The other asks whether the app enables dating between real people or with a virtual companion through sexual or romantic content.
Apps with dating or relationship content will receive a minimum age rating of 18+. They will not appear in the App Store for children under 18 when parental or guardian content restrictions are enabled on their device. If an underage user can still see one of these apps and tries to download or purchase it, Apple will require proof that the user is an adult. Apps that share location generally will not be affected by age ratings, although some countries have separate rules. Brazil, for example, requires location-sharing apps to carry a rating of 16+.
The new content descriptor questions will appear in App Store Connect on November 16. Developers must answer both questions when submitting a new app or updating an existing one. They must also complete the age-rating questionnaire for all their apps by January 12, 2027.
Daniel Mercer
David Bridges
