Applebot-Extended
A control token that opts you out of Apple's generative training. It does not crawl and cannot affect search inclusion.
Reference reviewed by Sona
| Operator | Apple |
|---|---|
| Powers | Apple Intelligence generative model training |
| Purpose | Training opt-out token |
| User-agent token | Applebot-Extended |
| Respects robots.txt | Yes |
Applebot-Extended is not a crawler. Apple is explicit that it does not crawl webpages at all - it exists only to determine how data already collected by Applebot may be used. Introduced in June 2024 alongside Apple Intelligence, it is the opt-out for generative model training specifically.
Apple states the consequence just as clearly: pages that disallow Applebot-Extended can still be included in search results. Siri and Spotlight Suggestions are driven by Applebot, which is a separate token. So the split is exactly the one most publishers want - stay discoverable across Apple's devices, decline to be training data.
Because it governs usage rather than access, disallowing it has no bandwidth cost, no crawl impact, and no ranking effect. Among the four training opt-out tokens in this directory it is the least consequential to set and among the better documented, which makes it an easy inclusion in a baseline robots.txt.
Do note the ordering trap. Applebot-Extended only limits use of what Applebot collected; if you have disallowed Applebot itself, the extended token is moot because there is nothing collected to govern - and you have also removed yourself from Siri and Spotlight in the process.
How Applebot-Extended behaves
- Sends no requests at all - Apple confirms it does not crawl webpages.
- Disallowing it still permits inclusion in search results, per Apple's documentation.
- Introduced June 2024 with Apple Intelligence, making it one of the newer control tokens.
- Only meaningful if Applebot is allowed; blocking Applebot makes this token redundant.
Allow Applebot-Extended
Your content can help train Apple's generative models, influencing how Apple Intelligence features describe your domain.
User-agent: Applebot-Extended Allow: /
Block Applebot-Extended
Opt out of Apple generative-AI training at zero cost - Apple documents that you remain eligible for search results, Siri, and Spotlight.
User-agent: Applebot-Extended Disallow: /
How to verify Applebot-Extended
No published verification method
Nothing to verify, because nothing is sent. Apple states Applebot-Extended does not crawl webpages, so it has no user-agent and no IP footprint - any request claiming this token is fabricated. Verification questions about Apple traffic belong on the Applebot page, where reverse DNS under applebot.apple.com and a published IP CIDR list both apply.
Check an IP against this botCommonly confused with Applebot-Extended
Applebot is the real crawler and controls Siri and Spotlight visibility. Applebot-Extended only governs training use of what Applebot already fetched.
The same design at Google - a usage token layered over a search crawler, with documented no-impact on search inclusion.
Shares the -Extended naming convention but is genuinely different: Webz.io's token is attached to a crawler that does send traffic.
Applebot-Extended FAQs
Does blocking Applebot-Extended remove me from Siri or Spotlight?
No. Apple states that pages disallowing Applebot-Extended can still be included in search results. Siri and Spotlight Suggestions depend on Applebot, which is a separate token you would need to block separately.
Is Applebot-Extended a crawler?
No. Apple confirms it does not crawl webpages. It is a directive that governs whether content Applebot already collected may be used to train Apple's generative models.
I already block Applebot. Do I need this rule too?
It becomes redundant. With Applebot disallowed there is no collected content for the extended token to govern - though you have also given up Siri and Spotlight visibility, which is usually the more costly half of that decision.
When did Apple introduce this token?
June 2024, alongside Apple Intelligence, as the mechanism for publishers to opt out of generative model training while remaining in Apple's search and assistant surfaces.
Can Applebot-Extended read your page right now?
Test any URL and see exactly what AI crawlers receive.