Pornhub returns to the United Kingdom for iPhone users with Apple age verification

Pornhub’s publisher has announced that the site is returning after access was blocked in the United Kingdom. However, it is currently available only to iPhone users who complete age verification.

Pornhub returns in the United Kingdom for verified iPhone users

In February, Pornhub said it would block its platform in the United Kingdom for anyone who had not already opened an account and verified their age, following new legislation requiring age checks. On Tuesday, however, the BBC reported that adults in the country can once again access Pornhub, provided they are Apple customers using the latest version of iOS on their iPhone.

Pornhub accepts Apple’s age verification

This difference stems from Apple introducing an age-verification system that meets the pornographic site’s requirements. Aylo, the company behind the platform, does not oppose measures to protect minors. Its position, however, is that age checks should take place at platform level rather than on individual websites that must be unavailable to under-18s. That is precisely the technical approach Apple now offers.

“With the release of iOS 26.4, Apple launched the very first device-integrated age-verification solution for its users in the United Kingdom, a major first step towards a global solution to better protect children around the world,” Aylo said in a statement. “That is why Aylo is once again welcoming eligible, age-verified UK iOS users to Pornhub today.”

How does Apple’s age verification work?

According to an Apple support page, UK users aged over 18 can confirm their age with a bank card or an identity document. This unlocks “certain services or features” on the device. When a user’s age has not been verified, Apple also enables a feature known as Web Content Filter, which limits access to certain services through Safari.

This approach is naturally more suitable for publishers of services or platforms that are prohibited for minors, as they do not need to carry out the verification themselves or handle personal data. In 2025, when it announced Pornhub’s block in France, Aylo argued that requiring internet users to enter personal information repeatedly creates a security risk because data breaches are frequent. By contrast, the company says Apple’s UK mechanism “offers one of the most robust and hardest-to-bypass protections currently available”.