App Store Connect will introduce mandatory content descriptors for shared location and dating features on November 16, 2026, forcing developers to update age rating questionnaires to comply with platform rules and local laws.
Developers submitting app updates or adjusting their age rating questionnaires must declare whether their software includes shared location functionality or dating features, developer.apple.com reported. Shared location involves transmitting real-world coordinates with another user or group.
Dating and relationships features cover both human-to-human connections and virtual companions designed to engage users in romantic or sexual content. Every application on the platform must finish these declarations by January 12, 2027, according to developer.apple.com.
Applications incorporating dating and relationships features automatically receive a minimum age rating of 18+, developer.apple.com reported. Shared location features might not change a minimum age rating in every region, though laws vary by jurisdiction.
In Brazil, local regulations mandate an A16 rating for shared location tools and an A18 rating for dating services, developer.apple.com reported. Developers who believe their software qualifies for a lower rating in Brazil—such as parental tracking apps designed specifically for families—can request an official evaluation directly through the Ministry of Justice and Public Security website.
Teams need to record necessary changes prior to the next submission window.
An official platform announcement alone does not imply that an existing software title is noncompliant, appstorestatistics.com reported. Developers should assign an internal owner, record the current baseline, and verify the affected user flows before the final implementation window closes in January.
