Apple will introduce a mandatory 18+ age rating for apps with dating and relationship features on the App Store from 16 November 2026. The requirement will also cover virtual companions that engage users in romantic or sexual interactions. For users in India, however, the rating will largely depend on the date of birth entered into an Apple account because Apple does not currently verify App Store users’ ages in the country.
The company announced the change to developers on 2 November. App makers will have to declare whether their applications include features that connect people for dating or relationships, including interactions with a virtual companion. Apple is also adding a separate declaration for apps that let users share their real-world location with another person or group.
“Dating and Relationships”
Apple is using the phrase as the name of one of two new content descriptors in App Store Connect. The other is “Shared Location”. The dating descriptor covers connections between real people as well as virtual companions that provide romantic or sexual content, according to Apple’s developer guidance.
What developers must declare
Developers will need to complete both declarations for all apps by 12 January 2027. Apps that indicate they include dating or relationship features will receive a minimum age rating of 18+. The change makes the rating compulsory rather than leaving it to individual developers’ descriptions of their services.
| Requirement | Date or scope |
|---|---|
| 18+ rating for dating and relationship features | From 16 November 2026 |
| Declarations for dating and location features | Required for all apps by 12 January 2027 |
| Location descriptor | Apps sharing real-world location |
Apple said the changes are intended to make age ratings reflect an app’s features and help comply with local regulations. The company specifically named Brazil, where local rules require dating apps to carry an 18+ rating. The revised requirement will also affect applications that offer dating as one feature among several others, as well as services built around virtual romantic companions.
Why the policy may have limited effect in India
On Apple’s platforms, age ratings work alongside parental controls such as Screen Time and Ask to Buy. If an Apple account is marked as belonging to someone below 18, apps above the permitted rating can be hidden after a parent sets content restrictions. In India, though, the age linked to an account comes from the birth date entered during account creation, and Apple does not confirm that the information is accurate.
That means the new label can inform parents and users about an app’s intended age group, but it does not by itself establish that the person downloading the app is an adult in India. A minor who enters an older birth date could therefore meet the account-level requirement without Apple independently checking the user’s age. Apple began blocking 18+ downloads in Brazil, Australia and Singapore until it could confirm that a user was an adult; India was not included in that list.
Dating services already carrying an 18+ rating on the Indian App Store include Tinder and Shaadi.com. The new policy is broader because it standardises the rating for every app with the relevant dating features and extends the same treatment to AI companions involved in romantic or sexual interactions. It does not, however, amount to a separate age-verification system for Indian App Store users.
- Apps with dating or qualifying AI companion features will receive a minimum 18+ rating.
- Developers must submit the new declarations by 12 January 2027.
- In India, Apple’s App Store age controls continue to rely on the birth date entered for an account.
