Basky’s FAQ is the place to answer the questions people (and answer engines) actually ask: how long is safe, what the vitamin D number means, whether you need an account, and what happens on a gray Tuesday. The tone stays warm and anti-shame. Basky is a gentle daily sunshine habit — wellness, not medicine, and never a race to darken skin.
Below, each topic gets a short plain answer. The same questions appear in the FAQ schema at the bottom of the page so they can be quoted cleanly.
Safe sun, UV, and your window
What is a safe-sun window in Basky?
A safe-sun window is Basky’s personal estimate of how many minutes of direct sun make sense for you right now. It starts with your Fitzpatrick skin type and today’s live UV index from Open-Meteo (when you allow location). The Exposure Engine aims for about 60% of a minimal erythemal dose — a conservative fraction of the dose that would just begin to redden skin — then clamps the result so the timer is never a marathon and never a useless blip.
It is not a dare. It is not “how long until you burn.” Crossing the line earns nothing: over-exposure does not grow a streak, inflate vitamin D, or unlock a reward. For the deeper definition, see what a safe-sun window means and how long you can stay in the sun.
Does clothing or window glass change my window?
In the real world, yes. Fabric, shade, and most ordinary window glass cut UV. Basky’s math assumes the exposure you choose to count. If you are under a porch roof, behind glass, or bundled up, treat the readout as a starting point and use your judgment. Clothing vs. open sky is one reason the same UV number can feel different on different days — and why Basky never pretends one timer fits every microclimate.
What if it is cloudy?
Clouds are not a simple on/off switch. Thin or broken cover can still pass a surprising amount of ultraviolet. Basky reads the forecast for your sky instead of guessing from how bright the sidewalk looks. When UV is very low, the app may say the sun is resting. That is fine. A daylight check-in still celebrates stepping outside without pushing you toward a burn dose. UV band labels explain the plain-language bands on the Today screen.
Does a safe-sun window mean I can skip sunscreen?
No. Never. The window is a wellness framing for timing, not a substitute for sunscreen, hats, shade, or medical care. Use protection whenever you need it. Basky will not tell you to chase more sun to “finish” a number.
Vitamin D, Health, and what Basky will not claim
Is the vitamin D number a real measurement?
No. The on-screen figure is a friendly estimate — encouragement that climbs while you bask and stays capped with the same safe dose. It is not a serum level, not a dosing prescription, and not written to Apple Health. See what the vitamin D estimate means and the product page on the vitamin D estimate.
Does Basky read Apple Health?
No. Saving to Health is optional and off until you turn it on. When enabled, Basky only writes your basking time as Time in Daylight. It never reads steps, sleep, labs, or anything else. The vitamin D estimate stays inside Basky on purpose: it is wellness color, not a medical record.
Is Basky medical advice?
No. The app and this site offer general wellness guidance. Basky does not diagnose, treat, prevent, or manage disease. If you have a skin condition, photosensitivity, or a question about supplements or labs, talk to a clinician. The privacy policy covers what stays on device; it is not a clinical consent form.
Free core, Basky Forever, and restore
Is Basky free? What is Basky Forever?
The entire safe-sun loop — window, timer, streak, estimate, Circles — is free forever. Basky Forever is an optional one-time unlock for the Sunshine Pack of pixel skins and future cosmetics. There is no subscription and no paywall on the wellness core. Payment runs through Apple; Basky never sees your card details.
How do I restore Basky Forever?
Use Apple’s standard restore purchase flow on the same Apple ID. Family Sharing is supported. If a restore fails, Apple’s receipt is the source of truth — not a Basky account, because there isn’t one.
Privacy, Circles, location, and accounts
Do I need an account?
No login, no email gate, no password. Skin type, history, and streak live on your device. Delete the app and that local data goes with it.
Does Basky need my location?
Only if you want a local UV. Approximate location is sent only to Open-Meteo for the forecast. Coordinates are not stored as a history and are not tied to an identity. Decline, and a generic fallback keeps things running with a clear note that the UV is not for your spot.
What do Sunshine Circles share?
Circles are optional. Members see a first name you choose, your Basky look, and a simple “caught the sun today” signal. They do not see location, vitamin D, streak length, or rankings — there are no leaderboards. Access is by unguessable invite code. More detail lives in Sunshine Circles and what a Sunshine Circle means. Full mechanics are in the privacy policy.
Are notifications required?
No. Reminders are local notifications you can leave off. There is no Basky push server.
Families, shipping, and tone
Is Basky for kids?
Basky is built as a general wellness product for adults and households, not directed at children. If caregivers share outdoor habits with younger people, they still own sunscreen, shade, and timing decisions. Nothing here is pediatric medical advice.
When does Basky ship?
Now live on the iOS App Store. Get Basky at apps.apple.com/us/app/basky — free core forever, optional one-time Basky Forever for cosmetics.
Who provides the UV data?
Open-Meteo supplies the live UV lookup when location is on. Basky turns that erythemally weighted index into a personal window with your Fitzpatrick type. For the full ritual in one page, read how Basky works. The glossary defines every term used above.
Warm, short, and honest: a little sunshine, sized to you — never enough to burn, never a shame spiral if the sky stays closed.