Applebot
Apple · reviewed 2026-11-05
About Applebot
Powers Apple's search surfaces (Siri, Spotlight) and Apple Intelligence products.
Operates Apple Search, Siri and Apple Intelligence; Applebot powers search surfaces and AI training (Applebot-Extended is the opt-out token).
Usually means: An AI search index fetched this URL to decide whether it can be cited. A hit means the page is being considered, not that it was quoted.
Identity
User agent
Crawlers are matched by token, not the full browser string. Providers may add version or product text around it.
robots.txt token
Use this token in a User-agent line to allow or block the crawler.
Block this token
User-agent: Applebot Disallow: /
A Disallow only stops crawlers that honor robots.txt. Classify the category before blocking; check the live file with the robots.txt checker.
Verify a hit
A matching user agent is not proof: any client can send the string. When the vendor publishes network data, compare the request against it before you trust the hit.
Match the user agent
Request UA contains Applebot.
Check reverse DNS
Hostname ends with applebot.apple.com.
Check the IP range
Fetch the endpoint below and compare the request IP.
Reverse-DNS suffixes
applebot.apple.comRange endpoints
A verified hit proves the network path; it does not prove what the crawler will do with the page.
Applebot: common questions
What is Applebot?
Applebot is a crawler from Apple, filed under AI search. Powers Apple's search surfaces (Siri, Spotlight) and Apple Intelligence products. Requests advertise it in the User-Agent header as Applebot.
Does Applebot train AI models?
No. It indexes pages for AI search results — whether a page can be cited — not to train a model.
How do I block Applebot in robots.txt?
Add a group with User-agent: Applebot and Disallow: / to robots.txt, then re-test the live file. robots.txt matches the token, not the full User-Agent string, and blocking this token does not block the vendor's other crawlers.
How do I verify an Applebot hit?
Match the user agent, then compare the request IP with the ranges or endpoints listed on this page and check that the hostname ends with applebot.apple.com. A matching user agent alone is not proof — any client can send the string.
Applebot vs Applebot-Extended: what is the difference?
Applebot-Extended is filed under Training, while Applebot is filed under AI search. They use separate robots.txt tokens: blocking one does not block the other, and a hit from one says nothing about the other.
Testing a block? Run the live file through the robots.txt tester or check the whole AI crawler access group.
See when Applebot hits your site
Page scripts never see AI crawlers because they do not run JavaScript. Install the server probe and each hit lands in the Crawlers block with its path and status.