- From 16 Nov 2026 App Store Connect asks about dating and relationships and about location sharing; apps with dating or an AI companion in romantic or sexual content get at least 18+.
- By 12 Jan 2027 every app must declare; Brazil applies A16 and A18 ratings.
In short: Apple is tightening App Store age ratings. Apps with dating features, and apps where an AI companion engages users in romantic or sexual content, will get a rating of at least 18+. Apple announced it to developers on 2 Nov 2026.
What changes
- From 16 Nov 2026, the age rating questionnaire in App Store Connect gets two new content descriptor entries: sharing real-world location with another person or group, and dating and relationships.
- Dating and relationships covers connecting real people as well as a virtual companion that engages users in romantic or sexual content. Such an app gets a minimum of 18+.
- You must declare it with your next update or questionnaire change, and every app must have the declarations by 12 Jan 2027.
- Location sharing may not change the minimum rating in some regions.
- In Brazil, local law requires A16 for location sharing and A18 for dating. An app such as location sharing for parents and children can ask the country’s Ministry of Justice for an official, lower rating.
What it means for you
If you build an app with an AI character chat, check whether conversations can drift into romance. According to TechCrunch, the top AI companion apps had 220 million downloads combined as of summer 2025, so this is not a niche. You have two paths: accept the 18+ rating or tune the character so romantic content does not happen.
How to read this
Apple’s notice does not define “virtual companion” in detail or say what happens after a wrong declaration, so the boundaries will become clear only in app reviews. I write about AI rules and regulation in the AI Act and law hub.