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Applebot-Extended: IP ranges, verification & how to handle it

Last verified: 2026-06-13 · maintained by Unsourced

Applebot-Extended controls whether Apple uses your content for its generative AI (Apple Intelligence). It extends Applebot, which also serves Siri and Spotlight suggestions.

Verified IP ranges & identity

Apple does not publish a machine-readable IP-range feed for Applebot-Extended. The reliable way to verify it is reverse DNS: a genuine Applebot-Extended request's IP reverse-resolves to apple.com, applebot.apple.com (and that hostname forward-resolves back to the same IP).

How to verify a request is really Applebot-Extended

A User-Agent string is just a claim — anyone can send Applebot-Extended in a header. Confirm identity two ways: forward-confirmed reverse DNS (the IP resolves to Apple, and that host resolves back to the IP), and, where published, an IP inside the operator's official ranges. If neither holds, it's an impostor wearing the badge — not Applebot-Extended.

Should you allow or block Applebot-Extended?

Recommended: bait. Cites and links to sources and can send you referral traffic — you want this crawler.

If you do choose to act in robots.txt (which crawlers honour but don't enforce):

# Applebot-Extended: recommended to ALLOW — blocking can cost you AI visibility
User-agent: Applebot-Extended
Disallow:

Official sources

Apple crawler info: https://support.apple.com/en-gb/119829 ↗

Common questions about Applebot-Extended

Is Applebot-Extended really from Apple?

Applebot-Extended is Apple's crawler, but a User-Agent header can be spoofed, so the claim alone isn't proof. Confirm it with forward-confirmed reverse DNS and, where published, a match against Apple's official IP ranges.

What are Applebot-Extended's IP ranges?

Apple doesn't publish a machine-readable IP-range feed for Applebot-Extended. Verify it by reverse DNS instead: a genuine request reverse-resolves to apple.com, applebot.apple.com, and that host forward-resolves back to the same IP.

Should I block Applebot-Extended?

Our recommendation: bait. Cites and links to sources and can send you referral traffic — you want this crawler.

Related crawlers

Is Applebot-Extended — or an impostor — actually hitting your site?

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