How to Find Adult Games on itch.io: Settings and NSFW Tags

itch.io adult content settings, step by step

Create an account or log in. A free player account is enough. You can browse some adult pages without one, but the setting that keeps them in your results is tied to your account.
Open your account settings. Use the menu under your username, or go to itch.io/user/settings.
Turn on adult content in search and browse. Look for the checkbox about showing adult content. itch.io's co-founder describes it as enabling "NSFW browsing from your account settings". The wording on the page can change, so read the labels rather than hunting for one exact phrase. Save.
Open the NSFW browse page. Go to itch.io/games/nsfw. When we checked, it showed a "You must be 18+ to view this content" gate with a date-of-birth prompt before listing games, even when logged out.
Narrow it down. Add genre filters (visual novel, RPG, simulation) and sort as you like. Typing an adult category name into search also brings up matching games.
Confirm your age on game pages. Individual adult pages show their own 18+ birthdate gate, with an option to remember the choice for that browser.

Want the opposite? Add /sfw to the end of any browse URL to filter adult pages out. Useful on a shared computer.

Why adult games are hidden on itch.io

By default itch.io shows NSFW content only when you look for it directly, for example by typing an adult category name, or after you enable it in settings. That comes from itch.io co-founder leafo, who also notes the setting switches on automatically if you upload NSFW content to your own account.

What counts as adult? In its July 2025 announcements, itch.io defined "adult NSFW content" as a page with "Contains sensitive material" checked plus an adult tag such as porn, mature, lewd, erotic, hentai, fetish or eroge. Those itch.io NSFW tags are also the most useful search terms when you look for adult games.

What changed in July 2025

This is the part most older guides miss, and it explains why search feels thinner than it used to.

July 24, 2025: deindexing. itch.io announced it had removed all adult NSFW content from browse and search pages. It said the cause was scrutiny from payment processors, after a campaign by Collective Shout against Steam and itch.io over a game called "No Mercy". itch.io also announced a content audit.
Pages kept working. Deindexed pages still loaded, and games stayed in buyers' libraries and in collections. They just stopped appearing in browse and search.
Payments. itch.io's FAQ from July 28, 2025 said Stripe payments for 18+ content were suspended "for the foreseeable future". It named Stripe and PayPal as its current processors.
July 31, 2025: free content returns. itch.io began reindexing free adult content, meaning pages with "No Payments" selected under pricing. Paid adult content was to be "re-introduced slowly".

We found no newer official update on paid adult content in itch.io's developer updates board. Our own check on September 30, 2026 is only an observation, not an official figure: logged out, the NSFW browse page listed roughly 36 titles, and only one showed a price. In practice, expect browse to be mostly free games for now.

How to find adult games on itch.io that don't show in browse

Go straight to the developer's page. Developers link their itch.io page from their official site, Patreon or Steam page. Deindexed pages still work when you open them directly.
Save games to a collection. itch.io said deindexed pages still appear in collections and libraries, so a collection is a reliable way to keep track of games that search no longer shows.
Check the developer's other games. Every creator page lists their projects, which is often how you find a paid game after enjoying a free one.
Use curated lists. Our round-up of the best itch.io adult games links each game's official page directly, and our free adult games list covers free builds on itch and elsewhere.

Free builds, name-your-price and supporter builds

Many adult games on itch.io follow a public-build model: the developer releases each new version to supporters on Patreon or SubscribeStar first, then publishes a free public build on itch.io later. Eternum by Caribdis is a good example, with free Windows, Mac, Linux and Android builds on itch.io and early access for supporters. Harem Hotel works the same way. Other pages use name-your-own-price, or a paid page next to a free one. The download section of each page shows which version you are getting and what it costs.

If you download several games, the itch desktop app for Windows, macOS and Linux keeps them in one place and updates installed games automatically.

Troubleshooting: why can't I find NSFW games on itch.io?

Setting is on, but search looks empty. That is likely the 2025 deindexing, not your account. Free adult games should appear; paid ones may not.
The NSFW page asks for your birthdate every time. Choose the option to remember the setting for this browser, and allow cookies for itch.io.
A game you own disappeared from search. Open your library. Purchases stay there even when a page is deindexed.
A page was removed. itch.io said some pages would be removed permanently after its audit. Check the developer's site for other stores.

Before you download anything, read our guide on whether itch.io adult games are safe. itch.io is open to any creator, so a quick page check is worth the minute.

FAQ

Where are the adult games on itch.io?

On the NSFW browse page at itch.io/games/nsfw, behind an 18+ date-of-birth gate, and in search once you enable adult content in your account settings.

How do I turn on NSFW content on itch.io?

Log in, open your account settings at itch.io/user/settings, tick the option to show adult content in search and browse, and save.

How do I search NSFW games on itch.io?

Turn on adult content in your account settings, then type an adult category name into search, or start from the NSFW browse page and add genre filters such as visual novel or RPG.

What are the NSFW tags on itch.io?

itch.io's own definition of adult content uses tags such as porn, mature, lewd, erotic, hentai, fetish and eroge, combined with the "Contains sensitive material" flag.

Why can't I find paid adult games on itch.io?

Since July 2025, itch.io has reindexed free adult content but said paid content would return slowly. We found no official update since then. Open paid games from the developer's own link instead.

Is itch.io better than Steam for adult games?

It depends on what you want. itch.io has more free and in-development games; Steam has clearer refunds. Our Steam or itch.io comparison goes through each difference.

More practical help lives in our guides section.