A welcome advancement for Apple Watch with watchOS 7 is Family Setup, a feature that lets an adult configure the wearable for a child who doesn’t have an iPhone. Family Setup includes multiple features to help manage your kid’s device, follow along for how to setup Apple Watch Schooltime.
Family Setup for Apple Watch is a great way to stay connected to your kids (or elderly parents) without them needing their own iPhone. And one of the new features that are focused on kids is the Schooltime mode (also available for anyone).
It allows parents to setup a school schedule for Apple Watch to remain on a simple yellow watch face that’s easy for teachers or adults to recognize and can be used whether kids are learning at home or back in their classrooms.
In addition to the yellow watch face, Schooltime mode puts on Do Not Disturb and restricts interactions to help kids (or anyone) stay focused.
What you’ll need to use Schooltime
Jump to the bottom of this post if you want to use Schooltime on your own Apple Watch.
To set it up on a child’s watch, you’ll need to be using Family Sharing and have a child’s Apple ID account setup that you’ll connect with their Apple Watch.
To use Schooltime, you need to setup your kid’s Apple Watch with Family Setup (more on Family Setup here). That requires a cellular Apple Watch Series 4, 5, 6, or SE. For the parent setting it up, you’ll need an iPhone 6s or later running at least iOS 14.
Note: You can also use Schooltime on your own Apple Watch if you are running watchOS 7.
How to setup Apple Watch Schooltime
- You will get a prompt asking if you want to setup Schooltime while you’re going through the initial Family Setup, tap “Turn on Schooltime” if so (can skip to step 5 below)
- If you are setting up Schooltime after Family Setup, head to the Apple Watch app on your iPhone (adult’s iPhone who did Family Setup) > Choose All Watches > Tap your kid’s watch
- Tap Done, then tap Schooltime.
- Tap “Turn on Schooltime”
- Choose “Edit Schedule”
- Pick the days and times you’d like to use Schooltime for you kid
- You can also choose “Add Time” to create multiple schedules like 8:00 am to 11 am — 12:00 p.m. to 3:00 pm
How to exit Schooltime
- Schooltime can be exited by your child by turning their Apple Watch’s Digital Crown > tapping Exit
- This is intentional by Apple so students can check Messages, Phone calls, etc.
- As the parent, you can see how many times your kid has exited Schooltime during the day
- Head to the Watch app on your iPhone > All Watches > Your kid’s watch > Schooltime
How to use Schooltime on any Apple Watch
- If you want to use Schooltime as an alternative to Do Not Disturb or Theater Mode, you can add it to Control Center on Apple Watch
- Swipe up from the bottom of your Apple Watch screen to open Control Center (can touch and hold the bottom as well)
- Scroll to the bottom > tap Edit.
- Tap the add button
on the Schooltime button 
, choose Done - Now in Control Center you can tap the Schooltime button to turn it on
- To exit Schooltime, turn the Digital Crown and tap Exit
Read more 9to5Mac tutorials:
- How to change your Apple Watch move, exercise, and stand goals with watchOS 7
- watchOS 7: Here’s how sharing Apple Watch faces works
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- iPadOS 14 – 50+ Top Features and Changes! [Video]
- iOS 14: Here’s how to use the new iPhone home screen widgets
- Hands-on: Widgetsmith brings ultra-customizable widgets to your iOS 14 home screen
- iOS 14: How to do Picture in Picture video multitasking on iPhone
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