Apple Tightens Age Ratings for Dating Apps and Location Sharing

What happened

Apple is changing the questionnaire that developers fill out to get an age rating for their apps. From November 16, developers must say if their app has dating or matchmaking features. They must also say if it shares a user's location. If the answer is yes to one or more of these questions, the app will likely get a higher age rating. Dating apps will even require users to be adults. Apple says the change helps follow local laws.

Key dates and facts

• New answers are required from November 16, when developers submit an app update or change their questionnaire.
• All apps in the App Store must have these answers by January 12, 2027.
• Dating apps are generally set to an 18+ age rating.
• In Brazil, location sharing requires a 16+ rating.

Background

Apple also checks users' ages at the system level. In the United Kingdom, users must prove their age with an ID or credit card, and Apple now also accepts a selfie. This selfie option comes to Brazil with iOS 27.2. Apple earlier added child-safety features in iOS 26, such as more detailed age ratings and controlled chat-partner settings.

Why it matters

The new rules aim to make sure age ratings match what an app really does. The rules also cover AI chatbots that act as romantic partners or simulate a date. Messaging apps that share location, such as WhatsApp, may also be affected. Developers who build apps for these features will need to answer new questions and may face higher age limits.

What to watch

• Whether developers update their apps and questionnaires before the November 16 start date.
• How the rules work in Brazil, where developers for parent-and-child location apps can ask the Brazilian Ministry of Justice and Public Security (MJSP) for a lower age rating.
• Whether other countries add rules like these.