# Breathable Air Quality Widget — Is it safe to go outside?

> Customizable air quality index widget for iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch, and macOS. (iPhone/iPad app by Karbon.)

- Source: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/breathable-air-quality-widget/id1536296487 (this page in markdown: same URL + `.md`)
- Developer: [Karbon](https://appshunter.io/developer/522443106)
- Category: Weather, Utilities
- Price: Free (on sale, was $0.99)
- Rating: 4.12/5 from 42 App Store ratings · 45 written reviews indexed
- Age rating: 4+
- Requires: iOS 26.1 · 32 MB
- Languages: American English
- Released: 2021-06-29
- Data updated: 2026-08-25
- Monetization: free
- User reviews in markdown: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/breathable-air-quality-widget/id1536296487/reviews.md

## What is Breathable Air Quality Widget?

Air quality has become an increasing concern for many people around the globe. While stressing about it constantly isn't necessarily helpful, the goal of Breathable is to provide a quick, glanceable answer to a new daily question: Is it safe to go outside?

Breathable is a free Air Quality Index (AQI) app and widgets for all of your devices, with support for iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch, Apple Vision Pro, and macOS. Customize widgets, track and chart historical AQI data, visualize trends, and stay aware of the air pollution risks around you and your loved ones. Trends data is automatically synced between all of your devices using iCloud.

Breathable uses AQI data from multiple worldwide services—IQAir.com, PurpleAir, The World Air Quality Index Project—as well as AirNow.gov in the US. All of these services offer free accounts and API access for personal use. Configure multiple services or just one. Set your preference for highest reading, highest reading PM2.5 only, or prefer a specific service’s findings. Across all services, Breathable uses the United States Air Quality Index model for values and band descriptions, so you can always understand the reading regardless of its source.

Breathable can automatically fetch the air quality for your current location, or you can manually search for locations (postal code, place name, partial or full address) or select a point on the world map. Coordinates are only used to request AQI data and are NEVER shared with Karbon or any other third parties.

Customize how your widgets look by selecting from our large list of fonts, toggling visibility of various data points, and use Breathable's Emoji Scale for a friendlier look at conditions. Customize Emoji Scale using one of our provided sets or choose your own emoji for each scale value.

It’s easy to get started: Simply create your free API account(s), enable automatic location, customize your widgets, and add them to your device. API keys will automatically sync with iCloud, enabling a simple one-time API key setup across all of your devices.

We wish Breathable didn't need to exist. Climate change is real and devastating, and we don't have much time left to stop it from becoming irreversible. Read. Get involved. Let's protect our planet and ourselves. You can read more about how Breathable is trying to help make a difference in the global fight against climate change by visiting breathable.app/impact.

## Key features

- Customizable AQI widget
- Supports iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch, macOS
- Uses IQAir.com and AirNow.gov data
- Location-based AQI readings
- Customizable Emoji Scale
- iCloud sync for API keys

## Recent user reviews (10 of 45)

All indexed reviews: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/breathable-air-quality-widget/id1536296487/reviews.md

### 5/5 — Great Additions in v4

*2026-08-23, version 4.1.1*

I’ve used this widget for years and loved that I could keep it simple. Now, I appreciate the additional features (trend line, especially) and that I still can keep the simple small widget for a glance at the air quality, plus have a bigger one on another screen for when I’m wondering when it got hazy or smokey outside.

### 5/5 — Better and better

*2026-08-21, version 4.1.1*

I’ve had Breathable for about 3 months. During that time, the app has gotten better and better. From fixing bugs to better interface updates, to customizing how you want your widgets to look, the app has proven very useful. 
Take the time to carefully setup your location. Once you get that done, everything else just flows!

### 5/5 — I feel like I should pay for this app

*2026-08-14, version 4.0.2*

While initial setup (to get API keys) isn’t zero effort, it does allow several data sources for air quality.  The app otherwise seems perfect and it really feels like I should at least give the devs some coffee money.

### 5/5 — Fantastic update

*2026-08-11, version 4.0.2*

I’m very glad to see the update, it’s so much more useful now.  No wonder the old version was being neglected a bit.

### 2/5 — I want to like it but the barrier to set up too high.

*2026-08-08, version 4.0.1*

I am looking for a good widget that will show current AQI in my location and although the widget appeared on my screen just fine and the app was able to detect my location, it’s not able to gather location-based air-quality data without me setting up an account or getting API codes from external sources? I don’t understand why there are additional hoops. I didn’t have to do any of that for my pollen data widget or my UV index widget. I hope the developers can figure this out for a smoother set-up because it’s a promising, well-organized app with a nice, clean interface, but it’s still a work in progress from my perspective and not useful to me as is.

Edit: alright, I’ve given it another shot since I’ve had some time this morning. I signed up at AirNow, received my API key, and I have validated it in the app, but the widget is not displaying any data. It says “unknown,” despite showing my location within the app.

### 5/5 — Quality Air Monitor

*2026-08-05, version 4.0*

The functions work very well once the api keys are entered, and the options for the design of this is a very nice touch, subtle animations and nice details added in makes it very complete and customizable. Well done, Karbon.

### 2/5 — I want to like it but the barrier to set up too high.

*2026-07-20*

I am looking for a good widget that will show current AQI in my location and although the widget appeared on my screen just fine and the app was able to detect my location, it’s not able to gather location-based air-quality data without me setting up an account or getting API codes from external sources? I don’t understand why there are additional hoops. I didn’t have to do any of that for my pollen data widget or my UV index widget. I hope the developers can figure this out for a smoother set-up because it’s a promising, well-organized app with a nice, clean interface, but it’s still a work in progress from my perspective and not useful to me as is.

**Developer response:** Thank you for your feedback, I appreciate it. Here’s the simple truth: I would love to be able to provide all of this AQI data without any of the personal API key setup and management, it just isn’t financially viable. AQI data is extremely expensive, and running a service for all users would not allow me to give away this app for free. While setting up personal keys is a bit of a one-time pain, it means that I can make this app free for everyone and you can get all of the benefits of real-time AQI data without any cost to you or me. I hope you’ll give it another shot, but I understand either way. Thank you again.

### 1/5 — API 404 abandoned.

*2026-07-16, version 3.0.2*

Not sure why the user has to juggle api keys but it doesn’t matter since the source we are directed to doesn’t exist.

### 1/5 — Completely different to every other source

*2026-07-14*

No idea why it’s always so completely wrong, it shows validation for my current location.

**Developer response:** Apologies for the delay in response, and thank you for leaving a review! IQAir API keys expire after ~1 year, but you can create a new free key and update it in Breathable. We've updated our FAQs to be clearer on this. Please reach out to support if you need more help, but a new free key will get you back to business!

### 5/5 — Well designed, works well

*2026-05-07, version 3.0.2*

This is such a cool app for monitoring AQI. I wish it had a menubar option as well for quickly glancing!

## Frequently asked questions about Breathable Air Quality Widget

### What does the Breathable Air Quality Widget do?

Breathable provides a customizable widget that displays the Air Quality Index (AQI) for your current location or any chosen place. It helps users quickly assess if the air quality is safe for outdoor activities.

### What are the key features of this app?

Key features include customizable widgets for various Apple devices (iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch, macOS), the ability to use AQI data from IQAir.com or AirNow.gov, location-based readings, and a customizable Emoji Scale for a user-friendly display of air conditions.

### Is this app free to use?

Yes, Breathable is a free application. While it utilizes data from services like IQAir.com and AirNow.gov, which offer free API access for personal use, the app itself does not require any payment.

### What devices is Breathable compatible with?

Breathable is designed for Apple devices and supports iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch, and macOS. This allows users to monitor air quality across their entire ecosystem.

### How does the app determine air quality?

The app uses latitude and longitude coordinates to request AQI data. You can set your location by capturing your device's current location, selecting a place on a map, or searching by postal code, place name, or address. The coordinates are only used for AQI data requests and are not shared.

## Version history (last 5 releases)

### 4.1.1 — 2026-08-20

A small but important fix for widgets across all platforms:

Fixed
* Widget background updates could be terminated by the system while saving reading history, which could cause missed updates and, on macOS, eventually cause Breathable's widgets to disappear from the widget gallery entirely
* Readings fetched by widgets are now stored safely and saved to Trends the next time Breathable runs
* On macOS, if Breathable is missing from your widget gallery: Delete Breathable, restart your Mac, and reinstall Breathable

Apologies for the impact if your widgets disappeared on your Mac!

### 4.1 — 2026-08-16

A total rewrite of Apple Watch settings synchronization!

Improved & Fixed
* Rewrote the entirety of the Apple Watch settings synchronization pipeline and hardened it against many edge cases or low network risks. Apple Watch settings sync happens more frequently, more reliably, and can recover from failures in network failure cases
* Fixed a bug where Apple Watch complications could become frozen due location timeouts
* Fixed a bug where Apple Watch location could be stale in several situations
* Fixed a bug where Apple Watch settings could get overwritten with stale settings in rare conditions
* Fixed a bug where Apple Watch would not receive settings in certain situations
* Fixed a bug where Apple Watch settings were not getting synchronized when preferred source changed

### 4.0.2 — 2026-08-10

Another quick release, more tweaks and changes:

New
- Added menu bar items on iPad where appropriate
- Moved macOS menu bar items around a bit to me more logical
- Widened the maximum width of Breathable on macOS to give it a little more—ahem—Breathing room
- Tweaked the clear version of the app icon on all platforms to look a little better

Fixed
- In some conditions on Mac, Breathable was not fetching AQI at intervals even when open
- Occasionally when launching Breathable or re-opening the Breathable window, in a future version of macOS, the sidebar would be floating above content erroneously

And, of course, everything else that landed in 4.0 and 4.0.1.

### 4.0.1 — 2026-08-07

Hot on the heels of our huge 4.0 update, some fast-follow fixes and additions:

New
- Breathable now fetches AQI data even without widgets, directly from the app, where possible. On macOS, simply keep Breathable running (even without a visible window) to always have up-to-date AQI information. On other platforms, any time the app is open in the foreground, AQI will be fetched regularly
- You can now favorite a location in Trends to ensure your charts always default to that location. If you don't set a favorite, Trends will now use your current location when auto-location is enabled, or the location with the most recent reading
- Greatly improved deletion of data from Trends, especially when deleting large chunks (e.g. a whole city), and added a blocking modal when this deletion is in progress

Fixed
- On visionOS, we accidentally regressed background materials app-wide just before launch—bigtime oops
- On visionOS, we also didn't notice that the Emoji Scale picker was missing eye tracking hover affordances
- When choosing fonts for the Small widget, large gauge mode + Emoji Scale + "Show numeric AQI value" was missing a way to customize the font for that value
- In some cases, the primary pollutant was being truncated on smaller watches or in high AQI scenarios in the Trends complication on Apple Watch. Now the pollutant will be omitted if it cannot fit instead of being truncated

And, of course, everything else that landed in 4.0. Thank you for your support!

### 4.0 — 2026-08-04

Breathable 4.0 is our biggest update yet! We've rewritten and redesigned from the ground up across every platform and added native support for Apple Vision Pro!

New Services, Historical Data, and Syncing: We've added support for PurpleAir and World Air Quality Index, and Breathable now supports any combination of services rather than requiring any specific key. We've greatly improved our key validation and syncing to iCloud. And, speaking of iCloud: Breathable now syncs AQI data to iCloud and across all of your devices, greatly reducing the number of required API calls and improving data quality anywhere you use the app. We also store historical data for every request, sync that history across devices, and use it to build a whole new feature: Trends!

Trends: Explore your air quality history in the new Trends tab with an interactive chart. Filter by location, recording device, or AQI source. Tap any point in the chart to view details, or drill into the All Data view for a granular look at every recording.

Automatic Location: Our most requested feature is here! You can now set Breathable to automatically use your location instead of managing and providing manual coordinates. Turn this on and Breathable will properly record AQI information and provide location-accurate widget information.

Spatial Features: We're so excited to bring Breathable to Apple Vision Pro! Not only are all of the app features available in native form on your headset, but we've added some special Vision Pro-specific bonuses:
- AQI Sky Window widget: A larger widget that shows the current AQI in a simulated window with real sun positions, moon phase, time of day and volumetric effects
- The Breathable "Trophy": Snap this little object to your desk or shelf and you'll have an AQI sensor in your physical space. And, if you turn it around and look at the back side, you might find a nice little surprise feature...
- A current AQI ornament hanging off the top of the Breathable window, and the ability to split off the Trends view as well if you want to leave it in your space without seeing the rest of the app

macOS, iPadOS and watchOS Overhauls: We rewrote the core of these platforms to greatly improve their look & feel and syncing engines.
- Breathable on macOS now supports a native sidebar, better font sizing, updated shortcuts and system menu support, and more
- On iPad, Breathable now supports native window resizing!
- watchOS gets an all-new AQI fetching and syncing system, a new rectangular Trends widget, migration of all previous widgets to WidgetKit, and more

Siri & Shortcuts: Now you can ask Siri, "What's the AQI in Breathable?" and Siri will give you the most recent AQI data Breathable has, and even offer to fetch fresh data if needed. On devices with screens, Siri will also display AQI details. We've also added Shortcuts support for fetching the AQI from Breathable directly.

We've refined and updated nearly every aspect of the app on every platform, we couldn't possibly list every change but here are the broad strokes:
- Breathable is prepared for the upcoming OS releases on all platforms
- Liquid Glass support throughout, new app icon (including dark mode and transparent mode support)
- Completely redesigned the Medium widget, refined the Small widget, added custom font support in widgets
- API keys now properly report when they've expired or usage has gone over a limit, including showing a warning on widgets themselves
- Completely rewrote the custom AQI gauge with flexibility and resizing features
- Preferred source selector in Widget customization now allows for Highest or Highest PM2.5-only, for those who prefer to only worry about particles instead of O3 readings
- Breathable now communicates in widgets when location sharing is turned off but needed, or API keys are invalid
- Many, many more fixes and changes!

## Apps similar to Breathable Air Quality Widget

| App | Rating | Price | Category |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| [Weather & Radar](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/weather-and-radar/id545993260) | 4.7 (303,896) | Free | Weather |
| [Weather Live° - Local Forecast](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/weather-live-local-forecast/id749083919) | 4.6 (399,440) | Free | Weather |
| [CARROT Weather: Alerts & Radar](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/carrot-weather-alerts-and-radar/id961390574) | 4.7 (86,721) | Free | Weather |
| [Hello Weather](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hello-weather/id978393692) | 4.7 (9,436) | Free | Weather |
| [Custom Weather App: Sonuby](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/custom-weather-app-sonuby/id1560347507) | 4.8 (83) | Free | Weather |
| [Weather Up + AccuWeather Data](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/weather-up-plus-accuweather-data/id1196015787) | 4.5 (10,312) | Free | Weather |

## Related topics

[air quality app widget](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/air-quality-app-widget) · [aqi widget](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/aqi-widget) · [air quality watch](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/air-quality-watch)

---

*Data collected daily from the US App Store and indexed by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/). User reviews are verbatim App Store reviews. Ratings, prices and chart positions refresh continuously; this snapshot is from 2026-08-25.*