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4 min read 5 stepsApril 20, 2026Verified April 2026

Air Quality Apps: How to Check the AQI and Protect Yourself on Unhealthy Air Days

Learn how to read the Air Quality Index and use free apps to check pollution levels in your area so you can protect your health on bad air days.

At a Glance

Check AirNow.gov — the official EPA source

~34s

Go to airnow.gov in any browser or download the free AirNow app from the App Store or Google Play. Enter your zip code to see the current AQI for your area along with the forecast for the next few days. AirNow is run by the US Environmental Protection Agency and pulls data from thousands of air quality monitoring stations across the country. This is the most authoritative source available.

Quick Tip

Quick Tip: The AirNow site also shows fire and smoke maps if wildfires are burning anywhere nearby. During wildfire season, check this map regularly even if you live hundreds of miles from the fire.

Download the IQAir app for detailed local data

~25s

IQAir is a free app (with optional premium features) that shows real-time AQI data on an interactive map. Download it from the App Store or Google Play. The app pulls from official monitoring stations and also from thousands of citizen air monitors — small devices that people install on their homes and share data publicly. This gives you a more granular view of air quality at the neighborhood level, not just the city level.

Check your phone's built-in weather app

~23s

Both Apple Weather (iPhone) and Google Weather (Android, found in the Google app or search) now include air quality information in their daily forecasts. On iPhone, open the Weather app and scroll down on your city's forecast to find the AQI reading. On Android, open Google and search "air quality near me." These built-in options are the fastest way to check AQI without opening a separate app.

Understand what the numbers mean for your health

~37s

If the AQI is above 100 and you have asthma, COPD, heart disease, or are pregnant, consider staying indoors and running an air purifier if you have one. Keep windows closed and avoid strenuous outdoor exercise. If the AQI is above 150, everyone — including healthy adults and children — should limit time outdoors and keep physical activity light. An N95 or KN95 mask offers real protection if you must go outside during high AQI days.

Warning

Standard surgical masks and cloth masks do not filter the fine particles (PM2.5) that cause health problems on high AQI days. Only N95 or KN95 masks with a tight face seal provide meaningful protection from air pollution.

Set up air quality notifications

~24s

Both AirNow and IQAir allow you to set up push notifications when AQI in your area crosses a threshold you specify. In the app settings, find "Alerts" or "Notifications" and set your threshold. A good starting point is to receive alerts when AQI exceeds 100 (Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups). This way, you are informed before you make outdoor plans on a bad air day rather than finding out after you are already outside.

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Air quality can change dramatically from one day to the next — and from one neighborhood to the next. Wildfires, vehicle exhaust, industrial emissions, and weather patterns can all push pollution to levels that affect your breathing and health. For people with asthma, heart conditions, or other respiratory issues, poor air quality days can cause serious problems. Even healthy adults and children can be affected by high pollution.

The Air Quality Index, or AQI, is the standard scale used in the United States to measure outdoor air pollution. It runs from 0 to 500. The higher the number, the more polluted the air and the greater the health risk. The scale is divided into color-coded categories that translate the number into a plain-language recommendation.

AQI categories: 0–50 is Good (green) — air quality is satisfactory. 51–100 is Moderate (yellow) — acceptable for most people, but sensitive individuals should limit prolonged outdoor exertion. 101–150 is Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups (orange) — people with asthma, lung disease, or heart disease should reduce outdoor activity. 151–200 is Unhealthy (red) — everyone may begin to experience health effects. 201–300 is Very Unhealthy (purple) — health alert; everyone should avoid prolonged outdoor exertion. Above 300 is Hazardous (maroon) — emergency conditions; everyone should stay indoors.

The best free resources for checking AQI are AirNow.gov (the official EPA air quality site), the IQAir app, and the built-in air quality data in Apple Weather and Google Weather on modern smartphones.

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Official Resources

Medicare.gov MedlinePlus — Health Info AARP Health & Technology

Sources used to create and verify this guide. View all sources →

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