Apple will give an App Store rating of at least 18+ to apps that offer dating or relationship features, including virtual companions that engage users in sexual or romantic content. The company will also ask developers whether their apps let people share their real-world location. The developer notice sets November 16, 2026, as the start of the new questionnaire and January 12, 2027, as the deadline for all apps to complete it.
Which app features Apple will ask about
Apple’s Dating and Relationships category covers services that connect real people for dating or relationships. It also covers virtual companions with the kinds of interactions named in the notice. An app that uses AI for other purposes does not meet that description on AI use alone. MacRumors’ reporting also distinguishes the 18+ requirement from the separate treatment of location sharing.
The Shared Location question concerns whether the app lets people share their real-world location with another person or group. Apple says that answer may leave an app’s minimum rating unchanged in some regions. Its notice gives Brazil as an example of a market with a specific local rule. U.S. readers should check the rating on the U.S. listing, since the same feature can affect the rating differently elsewhere.
What parents can check on an iPhone or iPad
The App Store rating describes the app. A family’s download restrictions depend on its Screen Time settings. Apple’s parental controls guide shows how to review the permitted app ratings under Content & Privacy Restrictions. If you manage a child’s device through Family Sharing, start by choosing the child in Screen Time. The setting for app ratings is separate from the purchase and download approvals families can use through Ask to Buy.
The location descriptor answers a question about a feature, while your device’s location controls govern what it can access. When reviewing an app for a child, look at the store rating and the permissions on the device. The November 2 notice describes the store questionnaire and minimum ratings. It gives no date for a universal change to how apps themselves verify a user’s age.
The two dates for developers
Starting November 16, developers must answer the new questions when submitting an app update or changing their age-rating questionnaire in App Store Connect. The January 12 deadline covers all apps. A developer with no update planned still has to complete the declarations by that date.
