How to use Apple Watch school mode in watchOS 7
watchOS 7 brings a new Apple Watch mode called School time. When activated, it limits distractions on your Apple Watch, allowing the user to focus on the important things during school hours.
School time was designed for parents and children. You can gift an Apple Watch to your kids and make sure they don’t use it in class. When watchOS 7 is running Schooltime, access to applications is blocked! The watch only displays the current time, date, and owner’s name at the bottom of the screen.
Restrictions in school mode
In addition to blocking access to apps, the new watchOS 7 school mode also prevents Watch Face complications from showing.
Do not disturb is also automatically activated at school.
Emergency calls and notifications will always land on the Apple Watch. At least that’s what you get notified when you activate Schooltime on Apple Watch. Our test, however, showed that notifications are not interrupted at school (watchOS 7.0.2).
How to activate Apple Watch Schooltime
This mode can be activated both from the iPhone and from the watch itself. Parents need to program school from their iPhone, while kids can briefly leave and turn it back on directly from the watch. Usage reports are continuously generated and available on the paired iPhone.
A. On iPhone
For Schooltime to be an effective distraction limiting tool, you need to set up your child’s Apple Watch as a family member watching on your own iPhone. To configure Schooltime, do the following:
- 1. Open the Watch the app on the iPhone that manages the watchOS 7 device.
- 2. Press on All watches, upper left corner of the screen.
- 3. Find the watch in the Family watches section and tap it.
- 4. Open School time.
- 5. Use the button to activate School time.
- 6. Press on Modify the calendar.
- 7. Select the days and times you want school to go off on your child’s Apple Watch.
Point: Use the Add time option if you want to configure several schedules for the school during the same day. For example, you can configure this school mode to start at 8 a.m. and end at 12 p.m., then start again from 2 p.m. to 3 p.m.
B. On Apple Watch
School can also be activated manually from the watchOS 7 device:
- 1. Lift your wrist to reveal the watch face and slide your finger from the bottom of the screen to reveal the Control center.
- 2. Scroll until you reach the School icon. It is usually the last on the list.
- 3. Press the School icon and you can start to focus on your teacher.
Point: If you are doing this for the first time, you need to add the Schooltime switch to the control panel. Tap Edit, at the end of the list and press the green ‘+’ icon available in the upper left corner of the School icon. Hit ‘Finished’ to save your setting.
How to quit Apple Watch Schooltime
The school will end automatically according to the schedule defined on the iPhone which manages the watch. However, the Apple Watch user can exit school mode directly from the watch, in an emergency or if they finish classes earlier than expected.
How? ‘Or’ What: Lift your wrist to bring up the School watch face. Turn the digital crown to complete school time. A screen that mentions how long the watch has been in school mode and asks if you really want to quit appears. Confirm your decision by pressing Exit.
Made: Each time the user leaves Schooltime, a log is created showing the time the event occurred and its duration. This way, parents can notice if the children are “cheating”.
How to Check Apple Watch School Journals
- 1. Open the Watch app on the companion iPhone.
- 2. In the My watch tab, press All watches.
- 3. Open the watch in question, in the Family watches section.
- 4. Press School time.
- 5. Swipe up to view the reports. They show which days, at what time and for how long the school has been deactivated.
Point: You can also view school reports directly on Apple Watch. Click it Digital crown and open it Settings app. Tap School time.
Do you find the school useful? Do you use it on your family’s Apple watches? Do you have any questions about this? Please feel free to share your comments in the comments section available below.
Related: Check out the new blood oxygen feature in watchOS 7. You should also take a look at how to properly use hand washing on Apple Watch.