Apple Watch Family Setup, previously known as Family Setup, is a fantastic feature that extends the Apple Watch experience to family members, especially children or older adults, who may not have their own iPhone. This allows them to enjoy many of the safety, communication, and health features of Apple Watch independently.
Understanding Apple Watch Family Setup
Family Setup enables family members without iPhones to utilize an Apple Watch for various functionalities. They can make calls, send messages, and share their location, all through their Apple Watch. As the primary account holder, you can manage certain aspects of their Apple Watch directly from your iPhone after the initial setup.
It’s important to note that while Family Setup brings significant capabilities, some Apple Watch features are inherently tied to having a companion iPhone and will not be available on watches set up this way. To see feature availability in your region, you can check this resource from Apple. Also, this feature is notably not available in countries like Italy and Korea.
Prerequisites for Family Setup
* While a cellular plan is optional for setting up Family Setup, it unlocks crucial features for independent use.
Step-by-Step Guide to Setting Up Apple Watch Family Setup
Let’s walk through the process of setting up an Apple Watch for a family member using Family Setup:
1. Power On and Prepare the Apple Watch
If the Apple Watch is not brand new, ensure you erase all content and settings first. Then, have your family member wear the Apple Watch, or put it on them yourself. Press and hold the side button until the Apple logo appears on the screen.
Apple Watch side button for turning it on
2. Initiate Pairing with Your iPhone
Bring the Apple Watch close to your iPhone. Wait for the prompt “Use your iPhone to set up this Apple Watch” to appear on your iPhone screen and then tap Continue. If this message doesn’t appear, open the Apple Watch app on your iPhone, go to All Watches, and then tap Add Watch.
Select Set Up for a Family Member, and on the subsequent screen, tap Continue.
Pairing screen on Apple Watch and iPhone during setup
3. Pair the Apple Watch
Position your iPhone over the animation displayed on the Apple Watch. Center the watch face within the viewfinder on your iPhone and wait for a notification confirming that your Apple Watch is paired. If you encounter issues with the camera, select Pair Apple Watch Manually and follow the on-screen instructions.
After successful pairing, tap Set Up Apple Watch.
Animation pairing process between Apple Watch and iPhone
4. Agree to Terms and Set Text Size
Tap Agree on the Terms and Conditions screen. Next, choose your preferred text size for the Apple Watch to enhance readability.
5. Create a Passcode
Set up a passcode for the Apple Watch. This is an essential security measure to protect personal information on the device.
6. Designate a Family Member
Choose the family member who will be using this Apple Watch. If the person is not listed, tap Add Family Member.
Enter the family member’s Apple ID password when prompted, and then tap Next.
Choosing a family member for Apple Watch Family Setup on iPhone
7. Configure Ask to Buy
Enable Ask to Buy if you wish to approve any downloads or purchases initiated from the Apple Watch. This is particularly useful for managing children’s app usage and spending.
8. Cellular and Wi-Fi Setup
If your iPhone’s cellular provider supports Apple Watch Family Setup, you’ll have the option to add the watch to your existing plan during this stage.
If your current carrier does not support Family Setup, or if you prefer to use a different provider, select Not Now. You can find a list of compatible carriers here and contact them directly to establish a cellular plan for the watch.
Then, decide whether to share your current Wi-Fi network credentials with the Apple Watch for connectivity when Wi-Fi is available.
Cellular setup screen for Apple Watch Family Setup on iPhone
9. Enable Essential Features
In the subsequent screens, you can choose to enable and configure various Apple Watch features. These may include:
- Location Services for the Find My app
- Siri voice assistant
- Apple Cash Family for managing allowances (US Only)
- Messages in iCloud for syncing messages
- Health Data sharing
- Emergency Contacts setup
- Medical ID creation
- Activity tracking
- Time in Daylight tracking
- Workout Route Tracking
- Photos syncing
Customize these features based on the needs and preferences of the family member using the watch.
10. Set Up Shared Contacts and Schooltime
Next, you’ll be prompted to set up contacts that will be accessible on the Apple Watch. To enable this, ensure Contacts in iCloud is activated on your iPhone by going to Settings > [Your Name] > iCloud and verifying that Contacts is turned on.
Select trusted contacts from your contact list to share with the Apple Watch. These shared contacts can be managed and restrictions can be set later in Screen Time settings on your iPhone.
Finally, set a Screen Time passcode for the watch and configure Schooltime. Schooltime is a useful feature to limit watch distractions during school hours. Once completed, tap OK to finish the setup and start using the Apple Watch.
Schooltime setup screen for Apple Watch Family Setup on iPhone
Managing an Apple Watch Set Up with Family Setup
After the initial setup, you can manage settings and customize features for the family member’s Apple Watch directly from your iPhone:
- Open the Apple Watch app on your iPhone.
- Tap All Watches, then select the watch listed under Family Watches, and tap Done.
- Choose any setting to adjust according to your needs.
Feature and App Availability with Family Setup
It’s important to be aware of feature limitations when using Family Setup:
Health and Fitness Features:
- High and low heart rate notifications: Available for users 13 and older.
- Heart Rate Variability (HRV): Available for users 18 and older.
- Fall Detection: Available for users 18 and older.
- Move Minutes: Users under 13 use move minutes instead of active calories in the Activity app.
- Time in Daylight Measurement: Available for all users, with parental viewing via Health Sharing.
Apple Pay Features:
- Apple Cash Family: Available for users under 18 (US only).
- Apple Pay with credit/debit cards: Not available with Family Setup.
Unavailable Features and Apps:
Certain features and apps are not supported in Family Setup, including Medications, respiratory rate tracking, irregular heart rhythm notifications, ECG, AFib History, Cycle Tracking, Sleep tracking, Wrist Temperature, Blood Oxygen, Walking Steadiness, Audiobooks, Remote, News, Shortcuts, and the double tap gesture.
Conclusion
Apple Watch Family Setup is a powerful tool to connect family members who don’t have iPhones, providing them with safety features, communication tools, and health tracking, all on their wrist. By following these steps, you can easily set up and manage an Apple Watch for your loved ones, extending the Apple ecosystem to your entire family.
