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    Applebot: what it is and how to allow or block it

    Applebot is Apple's crawler for Siri, Spotlight and Safari search, and its data can also train Apple's foundation models unless you disallow Applebot-Extended.

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    What is Applebot?

    Data crawled by Applebot powers search features in Apple's ecosystem, including Spotlight, Siri and Safari. Apple says it can also give AI models current content when they answer broad knowledge questions in Siri and Search, sometimes with links to sources.

    Apple may also use Applebot's data to train the foundation models behind Apple Intelligence and other features. Disallowing Applebot-Extended opts out of that without leaving search.

    • Robots.txt token: Applebot
    • Purpose: AI search & answers
    • Feeds: Siri, Spotlight and Safari search and answers

    Who runs Applebot?

    Applebot is run by Apple. Everything on this page comes from Apple's own documentation: Apple: About Applebot. We last checked it on 21 October 2026.

    Apple uses one other token, each with its own robots.txt group:

    How to allow Applebot in robots.txt

    Applebot is allowed unless a rule blocks it. If your * group blocks it, give it its own group:

    User-agent: Applebot
Allow: /
Disallow: /admin/

    A named group replaces your User-agent: * group for Applebot, so copy in any private folders you still want blocked, like /admin/ above.

    How to block Applebot in robots.txt

    User-agent: Applebot
Disallow: /

    Your pages leave the search features in Siri, Spotlight and Safari, including answers that link to sources.

    To block one folder only, list just that path:

    User-agent: Applebot
Disallow: /cart/

    Things to know about Applebot

    • To stay in Siri and Spotlight but opt out of Apple's model training, allow Applebot and disallow Applebot-Extended.
    • Blocking Applebot removes your pages from the search technology behind Siri, Spotlight and Safari.
    • If robots.txt doesn't name Applebot but does name Googlebot, Apple says Applebot follows the Googlebot rules. This checker applies that fallback.
    • robots.txt only grants permission. A CDN or firewall can still block Applebot even when your rules allow it.

    Check every AI crawler at once

    The checker above tests Applebot and every other AI crawler on this list against your live robots.txt. The full AI Crawler Checker explains how to read the results. For help beyond robots.txt, see technical SEO, AI search optimisation and GEO services.

    AI search & answers

    • OAI-SearchBot (OpenAI): ChatGPT search answers
    • Claude-SearchBot (Anthropic): Claude's search results
    • PerplexityBot (Perplexity): Perplexity's search results and citations
    • Googlebot (Google): Google Search, including AI Overviews and AI Mode
    • Bingbot (Microsoft): Bing search and Microsoft Copilot answers

    User-requested fetch

    Model training

    • GPTBot (OpenAI): training data for OpenAI's foundation models
    • ClaudeBot (Anthropic): training data for Anthropic's models
    • Meta-ExternalAgent (Meta): training data for Meta's foundation AI models
    • CCBot (Common Crawl): Common Crawl's open web archive, widely used as AI training data
    • Amazonbot (Amazon): Amazon products and services, including Amazon AI models

    Robots.txt control token

    FAQ

    Applebot questions

    Search features in Spotlight, Siri and Safari, and context for AI-generated answers in Siri and Search. Apple may also use its data to train foundation models.

    Yes. Keep Applebot allowed and add a Disallow rule for Applebot-Extended. Apple says those pages can still appear in search.

    Apple says that if your rules don't mention Applebot but do mention Googlebot, Applebot follows the Googlebot instructions. Otherwise the * group applies.

    No. Applebot crawls pages. Applebot-Extended never crawls; it only tells Apple how it may use what Applebot collected.

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