Set up an Apple Watch for your kid
With Apple Watch For Your Kids, you can set up an Apple Watch for your child even if they don’t have their own iPhone, iPad, or Mac. You manage the watch from your iPhone, including their parental controls.
An Apple Watch set up for your family member without an iPhone is limited in some of its interactions with the iPhone used to set it up. For example, you can’t unlock a paired iPhone from an Apple Watch you set up for a child, nor can you hand off tasks from the managed Apple Watch to the iPhone. If you delete an app from an Apple Watch set up for a child, it’s not removed from the iPhone used to set it up.
Note: Apple Watch For Your Kids isn’t available in all countries or regions. For information about availability, including supported carriers, see Apple Watch GPS + Cellular.
Before you begin
The iPhone you use to initially pair and set up the Apple Watch must be within normal Bluetooth range (about 33 feet or 10 meters) of the Apple Watch to manage settings and update the software.
Your child must have a Child Account and be part of your Family Sharing group. See Create a Child Account for your kid’s Apple devices.
Your child must have a cellular-capable Apple Watch SE or Apple Watch Series 6 or later.
Set up your child’s Apple Watch
Setting up an Apple Watch for a child or family member is similar to setting up a watch for yourself. Before you pair and set up a watch for your family member, erase the watch to ensure that it doesn’t have any content.
Have your family member put on their Apple Watch. Adjust the band or choose a band size so the Apple Watch fits closely but comfortably on their wrist.
Consider choosing these band types for a smaller fit and ease of wear for kids: Sport Loop, Sport Band, or Solo Loop.
For information about changing the band on your child’s Apple Watch, see Remove, change, and fasten Apple Watch bands.
To turn on Apple Watch, press and hold the side button until the Apple logo appears.
Bring your iPhone near the Apple Watch, wait for the Apple Watch pairing screen to appear on your iPhone, then tap Continue.
You can also go to the Apple Watch app
on your iPhone, tap My Watch, tap All Watches, then tap Add Watch.
Tap Set Up for a Family Member, then tap Continue on the next screen.
When prompted, position your iPhone so that the Apple Watch appears in the viewfinder in the Apple Watch app. This pairs the two devices.
Tap Set Up Apple Watch. Follow the instructions on your iPhone and Apple Watch to finish setup.
Tip: Turn on Adaptive Power on your child’s watch to help extend battery life by reducing performance. This is only available when Apple Watch is used without a primary device. Go to the Settings app on your child’s Apple Watch, tap Battery, then turn on Adaptive Power.
Redesigned parental controls are available on iOS 27, iPadOS 27, and macOS 27. Some features apply to watchOS 27 including Screen Time Schedules, on-demand quick actions, select Content and Privacy Restrictions, and Apps & Websites settings like website filtering and Ask to Browse. See Explore parental controls on your kid’s device.
What’s next?
You can change your child’s Apple Watch settings including the apps that are included on it. See Change your child’s Apple Watch settings.
If you haven’t already, you can set up parental controls for your child’s Apple Watch from your device. See Explore parental controls on your kid’s device.
You can also set up Schooltime and view your child’s health reports. See Get started with Schooltime on your child’s Apple Watch and View your child’s health reports and information on Apple Watch.