Pornhub Reopens to Some UK Apple Users After Blocking Most Under Age Rules

Pornhub's parent company Aylo announced it will restore access to the site for certain UK users.

The company behind the world's largest porn site had restricted most UK users in February, allowing only those who previously registered and verified their age. Aylo pulled out after saying the Online Safety Act's age verification rules for porn and other adult sites were applied unevenly across the industry.

On Tuesday, Aylo said Apple users who confirmed their age using the latest iOS 26.4 would regain access. The company has long pushed device-level checks like Apple's as the best method to block young people from explicit content.

"With the release of iOS 26.4 Apple has introduced the world's first ever device-based age verification solution for its users in the UK, a major first step towards a global solution that stands to better protect children everywhere," said Alex Kekesi, head of community and brand at Aylo.

This partial reversal marks the latest impact of the Online Safety Act on Pornhub. In October 2025, Aylo reported UK traffic had fallen more than 75% after stricter age checks took effect, though some questioned if users had turned to VPNs.

Four months later, Aylo blocked new UK users entirely. Since then, UK visitors have seen "not safe for work" content instead of explicit videos.

Apple's system checks age by reviewing account length, linked payment methods or ID scans. Some users later complained they could not verify without a credit card or driver's license.

Campaign group Big Brother Watch has urged Aylo to drop the measures, calling them a "chokehold on Britons' freedom to search the internet."