NEWS · Published 2026-11-03
Apple sets 18+ floor for dating and romantic app features
Apple is adding a “Dating and Relationships” question to App Store Connect on November 16, 2026. Apps that include the features Apple defines under that descriptor will receive a minimum 18+ age rating. The definition can include virtual companions that engage people in sexual or romantic content; it does not cover every AI companion simply because it offers chat (Apple Developer News).
What the new question covers
Apple says developers must declare whether an app enables dating or relationship connections between real people, or includes a virtual companion that engages a person in sexual or romantic content. Apple is also adding a separate “Shared Location” descriptor for sharing real-world location with another person or group (Apple Developer News).
The 18+ minimum is tied to Dating and Relationships. Apple says Shared Location may have no effect on the minimum rating in some regions. In Brazil, Apple specifies an A18 rating for Dating and Relationships and an A16 rating for Shared Location (Apple Developer News).
When developers need to respond
The questions arrive in App Store Connect on November 16, 2026. Developers must complete the new declarations when they submit an app update or change its age-rating questionnaire. Apple says all apps must have the declarations completed by January 12, 2027 (Apple Developer News).
An App Store age rating is the label shown for an app; Apple calculates it from developers’ answers to its questionnaire, with region-specific ratings where required (App Store Connect Help). The announcement does not identify any companion app or say which existing listings will change. A current 16+ label, on its own, does not tell us how a developer will answer the new question.
What to check if you use an AI companion
If an app offers romantic or sexual companion interactions, check its App Store listing after the developer completes the new declaration. The displayed rating may change if those features bring it within Apple's definition. A companionship app without those features is not automatically assigned 18+ under this descriptor (Apple Developer News).
This announcement does not explain any earlier app removal or set a new rule for services outside the App Store. We will update this page when Apple or individual developers publish concrete changes. For how we check listings and separate product claims from verified facts, read our methodology.