Pornhub restores access for UK iOS users following Apple age verification rollout
The move reverses restrictions imposed in February under the UK Online Safety Act, which mandated highly effective age verification to prevent minor access to adult content.
Pornhub has restored full access for users in the United Kingdom who verify their age through Apple's device-based system. The adult website's parent company, Aylo, announced that age-confirmed iOS users will now be served a standard adult user experience, ending the restrictions that were in place since February.
The changes follow the introduction of a new age verification solution within iOS 26.4 specifically for the UK region. Under this framework, new users must verify they are 18 or older by linking a credit card or scanning an ID before accessing certain services. For existing accounts, Apple will check payment methods on file to confirm age eligibility without requiring a fresh verification process.
Access was previously limited after Pornhub stopped giving new UK users full access to comply with the UK Online Safety Act. The legislation, which took effect last year, requires adult websites to implement robust measures to ensure minors cannot access age-inappropriate material. At the time, Aylo argued that only device-based verification could sufficiently protect user privacy while keeping minors out, leading to the initial block on the platform.
With the release of the iOS update, Apple began requiring users in the region to prove they are adults before taking certain actions on their accounts. Aylo stated that this new arrangement allows age-confirmed iOS users to regain access to the site, noting that the update offers one of the strongest protections currently available for preventing minor access to age-inappropriate content.
The restoration of access is strictly limited to UK users on Apple devices who have completed the specific verification process. It does not imply a general unblocking for all UK users or those using non-Apple devices, maintaining the focus on the specific requirements of the Online Safety Act as interpreted through Apple's new system.
