Apple is adding two content descriptors to the App Store Connect age-rating questionnaire on November 16, 2026. Announced on November 2, the change asks developers to identify location-sharing features and dating or relationship experiences, including certain virtual companions.
The declarations are required when an app update is submitted or the questionnaire is changed. Apple says all apps must complete them by January 12, 2027. That gives teams a defined window to inspect the product, agree on the correct answers, and update their release process.
What the new questions cover
Apple describes Shared Location as sharing a real-world location with another person or group. Dating and Relationships includes connections between real people and virtual companions that engage users in romantic or sexual content. The latter descriptor carries a minimum age rating of 18+.
Apple also identifies region-specific rules, including Brazil, and an official-rating route for some apps. Consult the linked notice and current regional guidance rather than assuming one classification applies everywhere.
Audit the feature, not just its name
Our suggested preparation starts with a feature inventory. Identify where a person can share a location, connect with another person, or interact with a companion. Check the actual experience, including optional settings and features introduced after the original app launch.
A label in a marketing description is not a reliable substitute for that review. A team should understand what information moves between users, how the feature is activated, and which version of the app exposes it. If the answer depends on a remote configuration or an optional purchase, record that dependency for the reviewer.
This is a practical review method, not an interpretation of how Apple will classify every edge case. Ambiguous implementations deserve a documented question to the relevant platform support channel rather than an answer chosen solely to preserve an existing rating.
Put the deadline into the release workflow
Assign a person to own the questionnaire and another to confirm the underlying feature description. Keep a brief internal record of the reviewed version, the answers, and the evidence used. That record can help future release managers understand why a declaration was made.
The January deadline should also appear in the calendar for apps that are not expecting a feature release. Waiting until an unrelated urgent update can turn a manageable metadata task into a release-day distraction. Teams with several apps should track completion separately for each one.
For a shared development organization, coordinate product, engineering, and store-listing work. One person may know the customer-facing description while another knows that a feature has changed behind a setting. The useful outcome is a consistent account of the shipping product.
What users should take from an age rating
A store rating is information about an app’s declared content and features. Our editorial view is that it should be read alongside the product description and the controls available inside the app. It is not a complete assessment of whether a particular experience suits a particular person.
For developers, the immediate task is more specific: review the two announced descriptors, complete the required declarations, and retain a clear record before the deadline. Revisit the answers when the product changes rather than treating the questionnaire as a one-time administrative form. The source links below provide Apple’s announcement and its broader rating reference.
Sources & further reading
Source material checked November 5, 2026. Availability and software features can change.
Written with AI assistance, checked against the sources linked above, and reviewed by our editorial desk. Analysis reflects our interpretation; product coverage does not imply hands-on testing. How we work
