Shade’s Apple Watch app puts the current UV index and your estimated burn time on your wrist. You can check today’s UV without taking your phone out, add a complication to your watch face, and follow your sun session countdown while your iPhone stays in the bag.
What’s on the watch
- Today: the current UV index, your estimated burn time and the time UV peaks today.
- Session: the time left in your sun session, the current step, and a paused state if you take a break.
- Complications: UV and your burn time, or your session’s next step, on circular, rectangular, corner and inline watch-face slots.
Why it’s handy outdoors
On a run, a hike or a day at the beach, checking your phone is a hassle. A glance at your wrist tells you whether UV is low, high or extreme right now, and how your burn-time estimate looks for your skin. If you spend a lot of time moving outdoors, see Shade for outdoor sports.
Free and Plus
The watch app is free to use with the UV index, burn time and complications. Session controls on Apple Watch, so you can start, pause and follow sessions from your wrist, come with Shade Plus. Your first sun session includes everything.
Notifications on your wrist
Turn-over cues, reapply reminders and the heads-up before your estimated burn time are delivered as notifications, so they reach your Apple Watch the same way other iPhone notifications do.
About the numbers
UV data comes from Apple Weather, and the watch labels its numbers as estimates. Burn-time guidance follows the WHO UV Index and standard skin-type values. Altitude, reflection and your own skin can change the real answer.
Frequently asked questions
What does the Shade Apple Watch app show for free?
The current UV index, your estimated burn time and when UV peaks today, plus complications that put UV and your burn time on your watch face.
Can I start and control a session from my Apple Watch?
Session controls on Apple Watch are part of Shade Plus. During a session started on your iPhone, your watch shows the countdown and the next step.
Does the watch app need my iPhone?
Shade on Apple Watch works together with the Shade app on your iPhone, which handles your skin type, settings and the UV data from Apple Weather.