SolarWatch Sun IconSolarWatch
4.7 from 16,360 App Store ratings

Plan your day around the Sun.

Golden hour, sunset quality, shadows and eclipses — predicted for any place on Earth, before the light happens.

See what it does

Free on iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple Watch and Vision Pro.

 

SolarWatch solar wheel for Berlin showing sun azimuth, elevation and today's sun events
downloads
600k+downloads
average from 16,360 ratings
4.7average from 16,360 ratings
on the App Store since
2017on the App Store since
Apple platforms, one app
5Apple platforms, one app

Know the light before it happens.

This is SolarWatch's sun model, running live in your browser. The app does this for every place you care about — and adds shadows, sky quality and AR on top.

Today

Today's light in …

 
 
 
 
 
 
 

New in SolarWatch 2026.28

Release notes · October 2026

Find the best sunset nearby

The forecast map compares sunrise and sunset quality across places, so you can go where the color is likely to be. Scrub through the next few days and tap any city for its forecast.

SolarWatch forecast map showing tomorrow's sunset quality across Europe, from poor to excellent

Made for iPhone Duo

Unfold it to keep the Solar Wheel beside your dashboard tiles. Stand it partly folded in tent mode for a full-screen animated dashboard. Eclipse maps resize to fit.

SolarWatch on an unfolded iPhone Duo with the Solar Wheel beside light remaining, twilight, daylight and sunrise tiles

Every question about the Sun, answered.

Built and refined since 2017, with new tools every season.

The solar wheel

Sun position, elevation and every twilight phase on one dial, beside Liquid Glass tiles you can reorder and resize.

SolarWatch solar wheel with sun azimuth and elevation for Berlin

AR sun paths

Point your camera at the sky and see where the Sun will rise, travel and set — before you commit to a shoot, a hike or a balcony.

SolarWatch AR mode showing the Sun path over a city skyline

Building shadows

Real 3D shadows for any street, any hour, any day of the year.

SolarWatch building shadows around the Eiffel Tower

Terrain shadows

See when a valley falls into shade, and set alarms for when the Sun clears the real horizon.

SolarWatch terrain shadows over a mountain landscape

Sunrise and sunset forecasts

Know how colorful the sky may get, and let smart alarms wake you only when it looks worth it.

SolarWatch sunrise quality alarm screen

Every eclipse, 2000–2200

Path maps, cloud-cover forecasts, local contact times and a sky preview over your own horizon.

SolarWatch solar eclipse catalog

Widgets, Live Activities and Apple Watch

Solar time, eclipse countdowns, UV and outdoor time on your Home Screen, Lock Screen, Dynamic Island and wrist.

SolarWatch widgets on iPhone

Loved by early risers since 2017.

Photographers, pilots, runners, hikers and people who simply like knowing when the light changes. 16,360 ratings, averaging 4.7 stars.

“I love this app and use it daily. It is clean and functional.”
bearjmuDaily use
“It informs you of when the blue and golden hours occur daily.”
dec4Photography
“I love the feature where I can have the solar time on my lock screen next to the local time.”
INeverReview3Solar time
“Plus knowing the optimal time for those sunset pics off the California coast. For me a must have.”
Schnauzer LogicSunset planning
“This app works smoothly and lets me change which solar events/times I see at a glance.”
61northAt a glance
“Essential tool for drone flight. Gives important information about flying at sunset and sunrise.”
ChanceVauDrone flying
“I use this extensively for planning hikes around sunset, love it.”
DslyecxiHiking
“Have this on my Apple Watch and iPad, and I no longer have to guess when to record night flying.”
PitotdudeAviation
“I work outdoors and reference the widget all the time for when sunset and last light are.”
SsorppOutdoor work
“It is great for concisely showing me sunrise and sunset times for my location.”
Jnachod2015Sunrise and sunset
“Beautifully designed and developers that are responsive and listen to feedback.”
helloworldnicknameDesign
“Easier to visualize than other similar apps and widgets.”
a1n2d3y7Widgets
“I use this app primarily for the sunrise/sunset notifications and it works exactly how I was hoping for.”
User_aeh_1212Notifications
“This is my favorite app for checking sunset, sunrise and twilight times.”
Elmo's childTwilight
“I especially like that I can look at it on my Apple Watch.”
StensvaagApple Watch
“One of my favorite apps. Check out the pre built watch faces!”
halfthelawWatch faces
“Needed an app to track sunrise/sunset. Extremely user friendly interface.”
SP1SPEase of use
“I'm an early morning runner and love being able to see the stats in the morning.”
Carol CahillRunning
“It helps me plan my imaging sessions.”
violamitchAstrophotography
“The home-screen widget is great. No notes!”
NMZiaHome Screen
“What a pleasure to find these, as well as the crepuscular hours, at a glance.”
SwienkeGolden hour
“This app works perfectly on my Apple watch.”
swamiomkaraApple Watch
“This app is great for identifying twilight as well as sunrise and sunset at my location.”
Get Outside GirlOutdoor plans
“Want to take the perfect picture, specifically to the terrain that you are in?”
gloveu2Terrain planning
“Solar watch is always on my Home Screen so I can easily check the best time to start my exercise.”
michaletEvening runs
“This app is perfect for any event you need to know about times for sunlight.”
haff713Light planning

Made for people who chase light.

For anyone who decides by daylight, shade and sky rather than by a weather icon.

Photographers

Golden hour, sunset direction and AR sun paths before you scout a location.

Homes and real estate

See how sunlight reaches rooms, balconies and gardens through the seasons.

Hikers and travellers

Compare daylight, twilight and shade before picking a route or a return time.

Pilots and drone flyers

Civil twilight and last light, exactly, for legal and safe flying.

Learn to read the sky.

All guides

2 min read

How to find golden hour for your photo shoot

Find warm, low-angle light using your location, date and Sun position. Check terrain and weather, then choose camera settings for the photograph you want.

Read guide

Questions, answered.

Need more? The user guide covers every screen.

Is SolarWatch free?

SolarWatch is free to download. SolarWatch Gold unlocks advanced planning tools such as sunrise and sunset quality forecasts and the forecast map, plus more widgets, alarms and solar features.

Which devices does SolarWatch support?

SolarWatch supports iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple Watch, and Apple Vision Pro. On iPhone Duo, the unfolded layout keeps the Solar Wheel beside your dashboard tiles.

What can I use SolarWatch for?

People use SolarWatch for golden hour photography, sunrise and sunset planning, trail and viewpoint planning, drone flights, aviation, outdoor work, prayer times, widgets, and eclipse tracking.

Can SolarWatch predict a colorful sunrise or sunset?

SolarWatch Gold estimates sunrise and sunset quality from weather data, and the forecast map compares it across nearby places. It is a forecast, not a guarantee, so check the local weather and your view of the horizon too.

Does SolarWatch show building and terrain shadows?

Yes. SolarWatch helps visualize sun paths with building and terrain shadows so you can plan around shade in cities, hills, valleys, and viewpoints.

Does SolarWatch include solar eclipse planning?

Yes. SolarWatch includes eclipse maps, local circumstances, contact times, countdown widgets, and a catalog of solar eclipses from 2000 to 2200.

Where the Sun goes, your plan follows.

Download SolarWatch free and see tomorrow's light today.