Apple Watch Family Setup, previously known as Apple Watch For Your Kids, is a fantastic feature that extends the Apple Watch experience to family members, even if they don’t have their own iPhone. This guide will show you where to watch and learn everything about this plan, and how to set it up, ensuring you have all the information you need to connect your family.
Understanding Apple Watch Family Setup
With Family Setup, your family member, like a child or an elderly parent, can enjoy the many capabilities of an Apple Watch, such as making calls, sending messages, and sharing their location, all through a watch managed by your iPhone.
Once you’ve set up an Apple Watch using Family Setup, you become the administrator, using your iPhone to manage various aspects of their watch. It’s important to note that while Family Setup brings many features, some Apple Watch functionalities require a direct connection to an iPhone and are not available in this setup. For a detailed understanding of feature availability, you can watch Apple’s official tutorials and support documentation online.
It’s also worth checking if Apple Watch Family Setup is available in your region, as it is not available in all countries. You can find the most up-to-date availability information on Apple’s official website, which is the best place to watch for announcements and updates.
What You Need to Get Started with Family Setup
Before you begin, ensure you have the following:
- An Apple Watch Series 4 or later, or Apple Watch SE (1st generation) or later with cellular or GPS + Cellular.
- An iPhone 6s or later with iOS 14 or later for the setup process.
- An Apple ID for yourself and for the family member who will use the Apple Watch.
- A cellular plan is optional for basic setup but essential for features like calls and messages away from Wi-Fi. Check with your cellular provider about family plan options that support Apple Watch. You can watch for deals and plans from various carriers online.
Step-by-Step Guide to Setting Up Apple Watch Family Setup
If you’re ready to set up Family Setup, here’s how to do it:
1. Power On and Prepare the Apple Watch
If the Apple Watch is not new, it’s crucial to erase it first to remove any previous settings.
Have your family member put on the Apple Watch. Press and hold the side button until the Apple logo appears on the screen.
Apple Watch turning on, showing location of the side button
2. Initiate Pairing with Your iPhone
Bring the Apple Watch close to your iPhone. Wait for the message “Use your iPhone to set up this Apple Watch” to pop up 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 select Add Watch.
Choose Set Up for a Family Member, and then tap Continue on the subsequent screen.
Apple Watch and iPhone showing the pairing screens on each device
3. Pair the Watch
Hold 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 can’t use the camera for pairing, select Pair Apple Watch Manually and follow the on-screen instructions.
After pairing is complete, tap Set Up Apple Watch.
Apple Watch and iPhone showing the pairing animation on each device
4. Agree to Terms and Set Passcode
Tap Agree on the Terms and Conditions screen. Then, choose a preferred text size for the Apple Watch display to ensure readability for the user.
Next, set up a passcode to secure the Apple Watch. This is important for privacy and security.
5. Select a Family Member
Choose the family member who will be using this Apple Watch. If their name isn’t listed, tap Add Family Member to add them to your Family Sharing settings.
Enter the family member’s Apple ID password and tap Next.
iPhone showing the screen on which a user chooses a family member who will use the watch
6. Configure Ask to Buy
Enable Ask to Buy if you want to approve any downloads or purchases initiated from the Apple Watch. This is particularly useful for children’s watches to manage spending.
7. Set Up Cellular and Wi-Fi
If your iPhone cellular provider supports Family Setup, you’ll be prompted to add the watch to your cellular plan at this stage. Consider watching tutorials or contacting your provider to understand the best family plan options for adding a watch.
If your current carrier doesn’t support Family Setup, or if you prefer to use a different carrier, select Not Now. You can explore alternative carriers from this list of supported carriers and contact them to set up a cellular plan directly.
Then, decide whether to share your current Wi-Fi network with the Apple Watch. Sharing Wi-Fi allows the watch to connect automatically when in range of your home network.
iPhone showing the Apple Watch cellular setup screen
8. Enable Additional Features
In the following screens, you can choose to enable and set up various Apple Watch features. These may include:
- Location Services: For the Find My app, enhancing safety by allowing you to keep track of the watch wearer’s location.
- Siri: For voice commands and assistance.
- Apple Cash Family: For sending and receiving money (US only, for users under 18).
- Messages in iCloud: To sync messages across devices.
- Health Data: To track health metrics.
- Emergency Contacts & Medical ID: Crucial for safety and quick access to important health information in emergencies.
- Activity Tracking: To monitor daily activity levels.
- Time in Daylight: To track time spent outdoors.
- Workout Route Tracking: For fitness enthusiasts.
- Photos: To sync and view photos on the watch.
9. Set Up Shared Contacts and Schooltime
You’ll now be asked to set up contacts that will be accessible on the Apple Watch. For this to work, ensure Contacts in iCloud is enabled. Go to Settings > [Your Name] > iCloud on your iPhone and verify that Contacts is turned on.
Then, select trusted contacts from your Contacts app to share on the Apple Watch. You can manage these shared contacts and set up restrictions later in Screen Time on your iPhone.
Finally, set a Screen Time passcode for the watch and enable Schooltime. Schooltime mode limits watch features during school hours, helping to minimize distractions. When setup is complete, tap OK to start using the Apple Watch.
iPhone showing the Apple Watch Schooltime setup screen
Managing a Family Member’s Apple Watch
After the initial setup, you can manage settings and customize features directly from your iPhone.
- Open the Apple Watch app on your iPhone that you used for setup.
- Tap All Watches, select the watch listed under Family Watches, and then tap Done.
- Choose any setting to adjust according to your needs.
Feature and App Availability in Family Setup
It’s important to be aware of the features and apps that are either limited or unavailable with 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 for their Move goal.
- Daylight time measurement: Parents can monitor their children’s daylight exposure via Health Sharing.
Apple Pay Features:
- Apple Cash Family: Available for users under 18 in the US.
- Apple Pay with credit or debit card: Not available under Family Setup.
Unavailable Features and Apps: Medications, respiratory rate, 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. You can watch Apple’s feature comparison charts for the latest details.
Next Steps and Further Learning
Setting up Apple Watch Family Setup is a great way to keep connected with family members who may not have iPhones. To further enhance your understanding and get the most out of Family Setup, consider watching Apple Support videos and exploring online forums for user tips and best practices. By staying informed, you ensure your family benefits fully from this valuable feature.
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