Apple is tightening its App Store rules for dating apps and AI companions, requiring apps that offer romantic or sexual interactions to carry an 18-and-over age rating. The requirement applies to services connecting users with other people as well as apps offering romantic interactions with virtual companions.
In a notice to developers, Apple said it will introduce two content descriptors on November 16: “Dating and Relationships” and “Shared Location.” Developers will have to disclose whether their apps include dating features, such as romantic or sexual interactions with virtual companions, and whether they let users share their real-world locations. App developers have until January 12, 2027, to complete the disclosures across their apps.
Location-sharing features can also affect an app’s minimum age rating, depending on the country. In Brazil, for example, apps that let users share their location must have a minimum rating of 16, while dating apps require an 18-and-over rating.
The changes could have a particular impact on AI companion apps. Replika, which lets subscribers choose a chatbot as a friend, mentor or romantic partner, is already rated 18-plus in Apple’s App Store. The new rules will make that rating mandatory for other apps offering similar romantic interactions.
Apple’s policy comes amid wider concerns about young people forming relationships with AI. Character.AI removed open-ended chats for users under 18 last year, while continuing to offer younger users other features. A 2026 Common Sense Media survey of more than 1,000 children aged 9 to 17 found that many treated AI as a confidant. The nonprofit has warned that AI relationships can carry risks for minors, including emotional attachment and dependency.
An 18-plus rating does not automatically require every user to verify their age. Apple may require users to confirm they are adults before downloading these apps in some regions, while the ratings also work alongside parental restrictions. The new rules are intended to make it harder for apps featuring romantic AI interactions to evade age-based content limits.
Sources: CNET.