Overview
The Apple Classroom Policy controls how Apple's Classroom app works on student iPads and Macs. Teachers use Classroom to guide lessons: open apps on students' devices, view their screens, and lock devices.
With this policy, you control:
whether teachers can view and share students' screens
how students join and leave classes
whether teachers can lock an app or the device without asking the student
Managed and teacher-created classes
Classroom has two kinds of classes. Both work on devices managed by Swif.
| Managed classes | Teacher-created classes |
Where they come from | Synced from Apple School Manager | Created by teachers in the Classroom app |
Students sign in with | Managed Apple Accounts | — |
Where they work | Nearby classes only, in the same room | In the same room |
Some settings apply only to one kind of class. See the settings table.
Requirements
Item | Details |
Student devices | iPads with iPadOS 9.3 or later, and Macs with macOS 10.14.4 or later. Some settings need newer versions. See the settings table. |
Device ownership | Company-owned and school-owned devices |
Supervision | Required for most settings. See the settings table. |
Teachers | The Classroom app, on an iPad or Mac |
Managed classes | Apple School Manager, with Managed Apple Accounts for students |
Settings reference
Setting | What it does | Default | Minimum OS | Supervised only |
Allow AirPlay, View Screen, and Screen Sharing by Classroom | When off, teachers can't use AirPlay with students' screens, view them, or share them | On | iPadOS 9.3, macOS 10.14.4 | Only before iPadOS 13 and macOS 10.15 |
Allow Classroom to Perform AirPlay and View Screen Without Prompting (Managed Classes Only) | When on, students in managed classes aren't asked before the teacher uses AirPlay or views their screen. Applies to managed classes, nearby classes only. Shown when the setting above is on. | Off | iPadOS 11, macOS 10.14.4 | Yes |
Automatically Join Classroom Classes Without Prompting | When on, students join classes without being asked to confirm | Off | iPadOS 11, macOS 10.14.4 | Yes |
Require Teacher Permission to Leave Classroom Teacher-Created Classes | When on, students must ask the teacher before they can leave a teacher-created class | Off | iPadOS 11.3, macOS 10.14.4 | Yes |
Allow Classroom to Lock an App or the Device Without Prompting | When on, teachers can lock an app open, or lock the device, without asking the student first | Off | iPadOS 11, macOS 10.14.4 | Yes |
Viewing screens without prompting
Class | Is the student asked before the teacher views their screen? |
Managed class | Not if Allow Classroom to Perform AirPlay and View Screen Without Prompting (Managed Classes Only) is on |
Teacher-created class | Yes, unless the student sets AirPlay and View Screen to Always in their Classroom settings |
Screenshots also control screen viewing
If Allow Screenshot is off in the Apple Sharing Restrictions Policy, teachers can't view or share students' screens either, even if this policy allows it.
Before you start
Supervise student devices, for example with Automated Device Enrollment. Most settings need supervision.
Decide which kind of classes you'll use. For managed classes, sync them from Apple School Manager, and give students Managed Apple Accounts.
Decide how much control teachers need. Unprompted locking and required permission to leave are useful for younger students, or for testing.
Check the Apple Sharing Restrictions Policy on the same devices. If Allow Screenshot is off, teachers can't view screens.
Create the policy
In Swif, go to Device Management > Policies, then select Create new policy > Configure a Policy.
Select Apple Classroom Policy.
Enter a clear name, such as
Classroom – Grade 5 iPads.Set the settings you need.
Save the policy.
Assign it to a device group of student devices.
Example configurations
Example 1: Younger students, in managed classes
Setting | Value |
Allow AirPlay, View Screen, and Screen Sharing by Classroom | On |
Allow Classroom to Perform AirPlay and View Screen Without Prompting (Managed Classes Only) | On |
Automatically Join Classroom Classes Without Prompting | On |
Allow Classroom to Lock an App or the Device Without Prompting | On |
Students join classes automatically. Teachers can view screens and lock devices without asking.
Example 2: Younger students, in teacher-created classes
Setting | Value |
Allow AirPlay, View Screen, and Screen Sharing by Classroom | On |
Automatically Join Classroom Classes Without Prompting | On |
Require Teacher Permission to Leave Classroom Teacher-Created Classes | On |
Allow Classroom to Lock an App or the Device Without Prompting | On |
Students join classes automatically, can't leave without permission, and teachers can lock devices without asking.
Example 3: Older students, with more privacy
Setting | Value |
Allow AirPlay, View Screen, and Screen Sharing by Classroom | On |
Automatically Join Classroom Classes Without Prompting | Off |
Allow Classroom to Lock an App or the Device Without Prompting | Off |
Students confirm joining classes, and are asked before teachers lock their device.
Example 4: No screen viewing
Setting | Value |
Allow AirPlay, View Screen, and Screen Sharing by Classroom | Off |
Teachers can still use Classroom to open apps and guide lessons, but can't view or share students' screens.
Verify the policy
On a student iPad, go to Settings > General > VPN & Device Management, open the Swif profile, and check that it includes Restrictions. On a Mac, check System Settings > General > Device Management.
Have a teacher add the device to a class in Classroom, and test the settings. For example, lock the device, and check whether the student is asked first.
In Swif, open the device, and confirm that the policy shows as applied.
Troubleshooting
Students are still asked before a teacher views their screen
In a teacher-created class: this is expected. Students are asked unless they set AirPlay and View Screen to Always in their Classroom settings.
In a managed class: check that Allow Classroom to Perform AirPlay and View Screen Without Prompting (Managed Classes Only) is on, the device is supervised, and the class is nearby.
Teachers can't view students' screens
Check that Allow AirPlay, View Screen, and Screen Sharing by Classroom is on.
Check whether Allow Screenshot is off in the Apple Sharing Restrictions Policy. That also blocks screen viewing.
A setting has no effect on a student device
Check that the device is supervised. Most settings need supervision.
Check the device's OS version against the settings table.