How to Check the UV Index on Your iPhone

Your iPhone can show you the current UV index in seconds — but a bare number only tells you so much. Here are three ways to check UV levels on iOS, from the built-in Weather app to dedicated UV forecast apps that tailor the reading to your skin.

Method 1: Apple's built-in Weather app

  1. 1.Open the Weather app on your iPhone (the blue icon with a white cloud).
  2. 2.Scroll down past the hourly forecast and the 10-day outlook.
  3. 3.Find the UV Index card. It shows the current level (a number from 0 to 11+) along with a label like "Low," "Moderate," or "Very High."
  4. 4.Tap the card to expand an hourly UV breakdown for the rest of the day.

This is the quickest method and requires no extra downloads. The downside is that Apple's Weather app shows the same UV number for everyone — it doesn't account for your skin type, so you have no way of knowing how long you can safely stay outside at that UV level. For context on what each UV number means, see our UV index guide.

Method 2: Add a UV index widget to your Home Screen

  1. 1.Long-press on any empty area of your iPhone Home Screen until the icons jiggle.
  2. 2.Tap the + button in the top-left corner to open the widget gallery.
  3. 3.Search for "Weather" (Apple's built-in) or a dedicated UV app like Sunwise.
  4. 4.Select the UV Index widget size and tap Add Widget. You can also add widgets to your Lock Screen for an even faster glance.

Widgets let you see the UV index without opening any app. Sunwise widgets go a step further by showing your personalized burn time alongside the UV number — so you know at a glance how many minutes of safe sun exposure you have left.

Method 3: Use a dedicated UV forecast app

The Weather app gives you a number. A dedicated UV forecast app tells you what that number means for your skin. Apps like Sunwise let you set your Fitzpatrick skin type — a standard scale from Type I (very fair, always burns) to Type VI (very dark, rarely burns) — and then calculate a personalized burn time based on the current UV level at your GPS location. Not sure which type you are? Take the Fitzpatrick skin type quiz first — it's a 9-question self-assessment with a scoring rubric.

What a dedicated UV app adds over the built-in Weather app

  • •Personalized burn time — how many minutes until you burn, based on your skin type and the real-time UV index
  • •Hourly and 7-day UV outlook — plan ahead instead of just seeing the current moment
  • •Apple Watch support — UV index and burn time right on your wrist via native complications (how to set up)
  • •Siri and Shortcuts — ask for your UV forecast hands-free with App Intents integration

If you want to understand the UV scale in more depth — what each level means and how skin type changes your risk — read our complete UV index guide.

Why the UV number alone isn't enough

A UV index of 7 means very different things depending on your skin. Someone with Type I skin (very fair) can burn in under 15 minutes at UV 7, while someone with Type V skin (brown) might be safe for over 45 minutes. The built-in Weather app shows the same "High" label to both people.

That's why a personalized UV forecast app matters. Sunwise pairs the UV index with your skin type to give you an actual burn time in minutes — a specific, actionable number you can plan your day around, whether you're heading to the beach, going for a run, or just walking to work. For a side-by-side look at how Sunwise stacks up against Apple Weather, EPA's SunWise, and other options, see our comparison of the best UV index apps for iPhone.

Try Sunwise — free UV forecast app for iPhone

Sunwise delivers personalized UV forecasts and burn times based on your Fitzpatrick skin type. It includes hourly and 7-day UV index forecasts, Apple Watch complications, Home Screen and Lock Screen widgets, and Siri integration — everything you need to track UV on your iPhone.

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