It lastly occurred. On a sunny weekend, I despatched my 7-year-old a block forward to the playground whereas I helped her little brother type out his new pedal bike. We will need to have taken a very long time as a result of I began getting a bunch of calls from an unknown quantity. When we lastly caught up, my daughter was standing with a stranger and crying. He was holding his cellphone. “You weren’t here,” he mentioned accusingly.
“I was 500 feet away!” I protested. It was no use. It was time for an Apple Watch.
The Apple Watch is among the firm’s most versatile (and common) merchandise. Some individuals use it for texting or as a mode accent. I primarily use mine as a fitness tracker. In 2020, Apple launched Family Setup with WatchOS 7, which explicitly marketed the extra inexpensive, and older, variations of the Apple Watch to youngsters and aged family members. I don’t need to give my child an costly cellular phone that she’ll use to watch YouTube Kids after which instantly lose or break. I do need her to give you the option to discover me, and vice versa, as she workout routines her rising independence.
If you may have an iPhone, you in all probability have an previous Apple Watch that you may repurpose for your older or youthful members of the family. The Series 7 has been a game-changer for my child. Did you need to purchase a watch? Check out our guides to the Best Apple Watch or the Top Features in WatchOS 9 for extra.
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What Do You Need?
Apple launched Family Setup in 2020 with WatchOS 7. To use Family Setup, you want an Apple Watch Series 4 or later with mobile capabilities that you’ll add to your cellular phone plan. You additionally want an iPhone with iOS 14 or later.
Both you and your baby additionally want an Apple ID. If each of you have already got one, you possibly can go to Settings in your iPhone, iPad, or Mac, and click on Family. Then click on Add Member. If your baby doesn’t have an Apple ID, you’ll be given the choice to Create Child Account. From there, observe the directions to add the kid’s identify, beginning date, and e-mail tackle. If they don’t have already got an e-mail tackle, you should utilize the advised iCloud choice.
A Blank Slate
First, unpair and erase your previous Apple Watch. Open the Apple Watch app in your cellphone and click on All Watches. Tap the information button subsequent to your previous watch and click on Unpair Apple Watch. You can decide to hold your mobile plan (you’ll want it for your child).
Unpairing is meant to erase all content material and settings in your watch, however in my case it didn’t. If it doesn’t work for you both, faucet Settings on the watch, then General > Reset > Erase All Content and Settings.
Since my child is 7, I discovered it simpler to set the watch up by myself. But at this level, you possibly can have your child put it on (if it’s charged). The watch will say Bring iPhone Near Apple Watch. If you open the Watch app, it helps you to select to Set Up for a Family Member. Aim the cellphone’s viewfinder on the slowly shifting animation to pair, or choose Pair Manually.
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