The best UV index app for iPhone is the one that matches what you do with the number. If you only want to glance at today’s UV, the built-in Apple Weather app is enough. If you want the UV index turned into an estimated burn time for your skin, with a session countdown on your Lock Screen and Apple Watch, that’s what Shade does. For forecasts across many places, UV Index Widget – Worldwide and Sunbeam are strong, and UVLens is a simple, family-friendly option.
Each app below was checked against its US App Store page in October 2026. Features and ratings change, so treat this as a snapshot.
Quick comparison
| App | Best for | Forecast | Skin type | Apple Watch | Apple Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shade | Burn-time estimate and session countdown | Current and hourly (Apple Weather) | Yes, Fitzpatrick I–VI | Yes | Yes (Shade Plus) |
| Apple Weather | A quick free check | Hourly | No | Yes | Not listed |
| UV Index Widget – Worldwide | Widgets and multi-day forecasts | 7 days, hour by hour | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Sunbeam | Apple Watch, Shortcuts and daylight tracking | 10 days, hourly | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| UVLens | A simple daily plan | Today | Yes, quiz | Not listed | Not listed |
| SunSafe | UV plus tanning routines | 10 days | Yes | Not listed | Not listed |
| UV Index – SunWise | The basics on one screen | 10 days | Yes | Not listed | Not listed |
1. Shade — best for turning UV into a burn time
Shade is our app, so weigh this entry accordingly. It reads the current and hourly UV index for your location from Apple Weather, then combines it with your Fitzpatrick skin type and whether you’re wearing sunscreen or covered up to show an estimated burn time. Estimates follow WHO UV Index guidance and standard minimal erythemal dose values, with a margin below the threshold.
The Today screen puts the UV gauge, the day’s UV curve, sunrise and sunset, cloud cover and a recommended SPF in one place. Home Screen widgets show the current UV and your burn time, and a session countdown runs on the Lock Screen, in the Dynamic Island and on Apple Watch. Morning UV alerts, Health sync and the Live Activity are part of Shade Plus; the live UV index, burn-time estimate and widgets are free. More on the UV index feature.
Where others are stronger: Shade is built around today, where you are. If you mostly check UV for other cities or days ahead, the next few apps cover that better. Shade also needs iOS 26.
2. Apple Weather — best for a quick free check
The Weather app on every iPhone shows the UV index among each location’s details, and on Apple Watch you can scroll to an hourly UV view. It’s free, needs no setup, and works for any location you’ve saved. What it doesn’t do is relate the number to your skin, time a session or remind you to reapply. Shade and several other apps here build on Apple Weather’s UV data. See Shade vs Apple Weather.
3. UV Index Widget – Worldwide — best for widgets and forecasts
This app from Bjorn Jenssen had about 14,500 US ratings averaging 4.8 as of October 2026. Its listing describes the current UV index, today’s peak and when it happens, a 7-day hour-by-hour forecast, a Places tab for any location in the world, and Home Screen and Lock Screen widgets for iPhone and Apple Watch. You can set alerts for a UV threshold, pick your skin type for tips, and log hourly UV and estimated vitamin D to Apple Health.
Pick it if you check UV for several places or want the most widget options.
4. Sunbeam — best for Apple Watch and Shortcuts
Sunbeam: UV Index Tracker, from Electric Acorn, had about 1,700 US ratings averaging 4.7 in October 2026. It offers hourly UV forecasts for 10 days across saved locations, Time in Daylight and vitamin D tracking, Live Activities for exposure sessions, an Apple Watch app with complications, Siri and Shortcuts actions, and Apple Health sync. Some features need Sunbeam Pro. It’s available in Italian, among other languages.
Pick it if you live in Shortcuts or want daylight tracking alongside UV.
5. UVLens — best for a simple daily plan
UVLens, from ElementX, shows the UV forecast for the day with when to cover up or seek shade, a short skin-type quiz that estimates how quickly you could burn without sunscreen, a reapply reminder, and a widget for current UV and burn risk. Its listing is careful to call the burn risk an estimate. It’s localized into Italian and nine other languages. Compare it with Shade in Shade vs UVLens.
Pick it if you want something calm and straightforward for the whole family.
6. SunSafe — best for UV plus tanning routines
SunSafe: UV Index & Tanning had nearly 11,000 US ratings averaging 4.8 as of October 2026. Alongside a 10-day UV forecast and max-UV alerts, it adds skin-type sunburn risk, sunscreen reminders, tanning routines, exposure tracking with a Live Activity, and several saved locations. Tracking and routines need SunSafe Pro. See Shade vs SunSafe, or our list of the best tanning apps for 2026 if tanning is the main reason you check UV.
7. UV Index – SunWise — best for a basic tracker
UV Index: SunWise, from Alcaeus Development, had about 1,100 US ratings averaging 4.6 in October 2026. It offers real-time UV, a 10-day forecast, global UV search, Home Screen widgets, a sunburn timer and skin-type advice. Despite the name, it’s a different app from EPA’s SunWise UV Index.
Pick it if you want the basics in one screen without extras.
What to look for in a UV app
- Hourly data, not just today’s peak. UV changes a lot through the day. WHO notes that the daily maximum falls in the four hours around solar noon.
- Cloud handling. UV can stay high under cloud, so an app that only shows a sunny icon can mislead you.
- Skin type. The same UV index means a different burn time for skin type I and skin type V.
- Alerts you’ll actually use. A morning summary or a threshold alert is often more useful than opening an app.
If the numbers themselves are unclear, read the UV index explained, or try the burn-time calculator to see how UV and skin type combine.
Frequently asked questions
Does the iPhone have a built-in UV index?
Yes. The Weather app shows the UV index in each location's details, and the Weather app on Apple Watch has an hourly UV index view. It doesn't factor in your skin type.
What is the most accurate UV index app?
UV apps on iPhone generally show data from a weather provider rather than measuring UV with your phone. Shade, Beam and SPF name Apple Weather as their source on their App Store pages. Accuracy mostly comes down to the provider and how well the app handles cloud cover and time of day.
Which UV index app works on Apple Watch?
As of October 2026, Shade, UV Index Widget – Worldwide and Sunbeam all list Apple Watch support, and the built-in Weather app on Apple Watch shows the UV index too.
Do I need a UV app if I already check the weather?
Not necessarily. A dedicated app adds things the Weather app doesn't, such as alerts when UV crosses a level you choose, reapply reminders, or an estimate of how long until your skin is likely to burn.