During a sun session, Shade shows your countdown on the iPhone Lock Screen and in the Dynamic Island as a Live Activity. You can see how long is left until your estimated burn time with a glance at your phone, without unlocking it or opening the app.
What you see
- Countdown: the time left until your estimated burn time, updating live.
- Current step: the part of the session you’re in, such as time on one side, with the next step underneath.
- Final stretch: the display changes as you get close to the end, so the last minutes don’t slip by.
- Reapply row: if you’re wearing sunscreen, a second countdown to your next reapply and a button to mark it done.
Why it helps on a sunbed
At the beach or pool your phone is usually face down in a bag, with sand on your fingers and sun on the screen. A glance at the Lock Screen is easier than unlocking, finding the app and reading small text. On iPhones with a Dynamic Island, the countdown also stays at the top of the screen while you use other apps.
Reapply without opening the app
When you’ve put more sunscreen on, tap the button in the Live Activity. Shade restarts the two-hour reapply countdown, in line with WHO advice, and moves the next reminder. More on that in sunscreen reminders.
Free and Plus
The Lock Screen and Dynamic Island countdown is part of Shade Plus, alongside unlimited sessions and Apple Watch session controls. Your first sun session includes everything, so you can try it before deciding.
About the numbers
The countdown uses UV data from Apple Weather and follows WHO UV Index guidance with standard skin-type values. It’s an estimate of when your skin is likely to start burning, not a guarantee.
Frequently asked questions
What does the Shade Live Activity show?
The time left until your estimated burn time, the current step of your session such as turning over, what comes next, and a sunscreen reapply countdown if you’re wearing sunscreen.
Can I mark that I reapplied sunscreen from the Lock Screen?
Yes. The Live Activity has a button to mark that you’ve reapplied, which restarts the two-hour reapply countdown without opening the app.
Is the Live Activity free?
It’s part of Shade Plus. Your first sun session includes it, so you can try it on a real beach day.