Where is the UV index on my iPhone?

In the built-in Weather app, but you have to scroll for it. Open Weather, scroll past the hourly strip and the 10-day forecast, and the UV Index card sits in the grid of conditions near the bottom alongside wind, humidity, and visibility. Tap it to expand an hourly UV breakdown for the rest of the day. There is no way to pin that card higher up, which is why most people who check UV regularly end up putting a widget on the Home Screen or Lock Screen instead.

Does the iPhone have a built-in UV index app?

Not a standalone one. UV is a data point inside Apple Weather rather than its own app, and Apple does not ship a dedicated UV index widget or an Apple Watch UV complication. So while iOS always knows the UV index for your location, getting it onto a glanceable surface — Home Screen, Lock Screen, StandBy, or a watch face — requires a third-party UV forecast app that ships those extensions.

How do I check the UV index for tomorrow or later in the week on iPhone?

Apple Weather shows the hourly UV curve for today when you tap the UV Index card, but it does not expose UV for future days — the 10-day forecast covers temperature and conditions only. For a multi-day UV outlook you need a dedicated UV forecast app. Sunwise shows an hourly curve plus a 7-day UV outlook, which is what you actually need to answer questions like 'is Saturday going to be a high-UV beach day'.

Why does the UV index in my iPhone Weather app look wrong?

Three things explain almost every case. Apple Weather rounds UV to whole integers, so a true 6.6 displays as 7 and can look off by a point against an app showing decimals. The reading may also be stale if the app has not refreshed — a UV of 8 at 7 PM in summer is almost certainly cached. And if the app only has coarse Location Services permission it may be using a city-level position rather than your GPS spot. Check Settings, then Privacy & Security, then Location Services, and confirm Precise Location is on.

Can I ask Siri for the UV index?

Yes — 'Hey Siri, what's the UV index?' returns the current reading from Apple Weather for your location. What Siri cannot tell you is how long that UV level is safe for your skin, because Apple Weather has no concept of skin type. Apps that ship App Intents can extend this: Sunwise exposes its burn time through Shortcuts and Siri, so you can ask for the remaining safe minutes rather than a bare number.

Is checking the UV index on iPhone free?

Yes. Apple Weather is preinstalled and free, and its UV data comes from Apple WeatherKit — the same source several high-quality third-party apps use. Sunwise is free to download, with an optional Sunwise+ subscription for the personal burn time and widgets. The reason to install a dedicated app is not access to the number but what is done with it: a personal burn time, a 7-day UV outlook, and widget and Apple Watch surfaces that Apple Weather does not provide for UV.

What UV index should make me put sunscreen on?

Public-health guidance from the WHO and EPA recommends active sun protection — broad-spectrum SPF 30 or higher, shade, and a hat — at UV 3 and above. At UV 6 and above, very fair skin can burn in under 20 minutes, and at UV 8 and above in under 15. The threshold is the same number for everyone, but the safe-exposure window behind it is not, which is the gap a skin-type-aware burn time fills.

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.

By Sunwise · Published April 14, 2026 · Updated October 5, 2026

Method 1: Apple's built-in Weather app

1.Open the Weather app on your iPhone (the blue icon with a white cloud).
2.Scroll down past the hourly forecast and the 10-day outlook.
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.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.Long-press on any empty area of your iPhone Home Screen until the icons jiggle.
2.Tap the + button in the top-left corner to open the widget gallery.
3.Search for "Weather" (Apple's built-in) or a dedicated UV app like Sunwise.
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. For a complete walkthrough of Home Screen, Lock Screen, and StandBy setup with widget-size guidance, see the UV index widget for iPhone guide.

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. If tanning is on your mind, see our skin-type-by-skin-type guide to the UV index for tanning. 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.

FAQ: checking the UV index on iPhone

Where is the UV index on my iPhone?: In the built-in Weather app, but you have to scroll for it. Open Weather, scroll past the hourly strip and the 10-day forecast, and the UV Index card sits in the grid of conditions near the bottom alongside wind, humidity, and visibility. Tap it to expand an hourly UV breakdown for the rest of the day. There is no way to pin that card higher up, which is why most people who check UV regularly end up putting a widget on the Home Screen or Lock Screen instead.
Does the iPhone have a built-in UV index app?: Not a standalone one. UV is a data point inside Apple Weather rather than its own app, and Apple does not ship a dedicated UV index widget or an Apple Watch UV complication. So while iOS always knows the UV index for your location, getting it onto a glanceable surface — Home Screen, Lock Screen, StandBy, or a watch face — requires a third-party UV forecast app that ships those extensions.
How do I check the UV index for tomorrow or later in the week on iPhone?: Apple Weather shows the hourly UV curve for today when you tap the UV Index card, but it does not expose UV for future days — the 10-day forecast covers temperature and conditions only. For a multi-day UV outlook you need a dedicated UV forecast app. Sunwise shows an hourly curve plus a 7-day UV outlook, which is what you actually need to answer questions like 'is Saturday going to be a high-UV beach day'.
Why does the UV index in my iPhone Weather app look wrong?: Three things explain almost every case. Apple Weather rounds UV to whole integers, so a true 6.6 displays as 7 and can look off by a point against an app showing decimals. The reading may also be stale if the app has not refreshed — a UV of 8 at 7 PM in summer is almost certainly cached. And if the app only has coarse Location Services permission it may be using a city-level position rather than your GPS spot. Check Settings, then Privacy & Security, then Location Services, and confirm Precise Location is on.
Can I ask Siri for the UV index?: Yes — 'Hey Siri, what's the UV index?' returns the current reading from Apple Weather for your location. What Siri cannot tell you is how long that UV level is safe for your skin, because Apple Weather has no concept of skin type. Apps that ship App Intents can extend this: Sunwise exposes its burn time through Shortcuts and Siri, so you can ask for the remaining safe minutes rather than a bare number.
Is checking the UV index on iPhone free?: Yes. Apple Weather is preinstalled and free, and its UV data comes from Apple WeatherKit — the same source several high-quality third-party apps use. Sunwise is free to download, with an optional Sunwise+ subscription for the personal burn time and widgets. The reason to install a dedicated app is not access to the number but what is done with it: a personal burn time, a 7-day UV outlook, and widget and Apple Watch surfaces that Apple Weather does not provide for UV.
What UV index should make me put sunscreen on?: Public-health guidance from the WHO and EPA recommends active sun protection — broad-spectrum SPF 30 or higher, shade, and a hat — at UV 3 and above. At UV 6 and above, very fair skin can burn in under 20 minutes, and at UV 8 and above in under 15. The threshold is the same number for everyone, but the safe-exposure window behind it is not, which is the gap a skin-type-aware burn time fills.

Try Sunwise — UV forecast app for iPhone, free to download

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