Overview
Apple Classroom is a free Apple app that lets a teacher guide students' iPads and Macs from the teacher's own iPad or Mac: open an app or webpage on every device, see and lock screens, mute devices, share files, and review a Class Summary at the end of class. Open your assigned, district-rostered class. If a class or student is missing, contact Help Desk.
| Students | Device | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Grades K-2 | iPad | One assigned iPad per student |
| Grades 3-12 | MacBook Neo | One-to-one, macOS |
| SPED (any grade, as needed) | iPad | A class may mix iPads and Macs; one class list handles both |
Apple Classroom vs. Linewize Classroom Manager. Apple Classroom controls the device (apps, screen lock, sound) on both iPads and Macs. Linewize Classroom Manager (also called Classwize) controls and reports on web browsing, and it works on Macs only - on iPads, Linewize's Connect Filter app applies the district filter, but teachers have no Linewize classroom controls. Rule of thumb on Macs: device problem → Apple Classroom; website problem → Linewize. On iPads, teachers use Apple Classroom for everything, and which websites students can reach is decided in advance by the district filter and device settings.
Apple recommends classes of 60 students or fewer for best performance.
Before class: four checks
Use your BSD MacBook with your district Managed Apple Account. Apple Classroom is not available on Windows laptops. Teachers using Windows can use Linewize with student MacBooks; the district does not list a classroom management tool for a Windows teacher laptop with student iPads.
Start with these checks if students do not appear online in Classroom.
- Bluetooth is on on the teacher's device and every student device, and no device is in Airplane Mode. Classroom uses Bluetooth to find nearby devices.
- Everyone is on the district Wi-Fi - not a phone hotspot or the guest network.
- Students are signed in with their district Managed Apple Account (Apple's older name: Managed Apple ID), not a personal Apple Account.
- Software is current - install pending iPadOS or macOS updates on teacher and student devices.
Open launches an app that is already installed; it does not install missing apps. Approved apps are available in Mosyle Self-Service: Manager on Mac and Mosyle School on iPad.
How to use Apple Classroom
Every action works the same way on a teacher iPad or Mac: select who (the whole class, a group, or one student), then choose the action from the buttons at the top of the class window. Each step links to Apple's official instructions.
Start a class
- Open the Classroom app on your BSD MacBook.
- Tap your assigned class in the sidebar. If a class or student is missing, submit a ticket rather than creating an unmanaged class.
- Check that students show as online. Anyone offline → see Troubleshooting.
Open Chrome or another app on student devices
- Select the class, a group, or a student.
- Choose Open and pick Chrome (or another app). Students browse in Chrome only; Safari is not used in the district.
- On iPads, lock students in Chrome (below) so they stay in the browser. App locking is not available on MacBooks. Apple guide
- To send a specific page: on Macs, use Linewize Open Tab; on iPads, use the district Chrome bookmarks or a link posted in Google Classroom. Apple Classroom's Navigate button sends Safari bookmarks, so it doesn't fit our Chrome-only setup.
Lock students in one app
On student iPads, after opening an app, choose the option to lock students in it. They can't leave the app until you unlock. Nearby classes only. App locking is not available on student MacBooks. Apple guide
View or lock screens
View: select students, then choose View Screen to see their screens, or select one student to see theirs. If the action is unavailable after the connection checks, submit a Help Desk ticket.
Lock: select students, then choose Lock to darken their screens. Choose Unlock to release, and check that students can return to their work. They may need to enter their passcode or password.
If you forget to unlock, devices unlock automatically when they leave Bluetooth range or lose connection for about 20 seconds. Apple guide
Mute devices
Select students, then choose Mute. Nearby classes only. Apple guide
Share files and links
Where sharing is available in your district class, select students and share a link or document; students can also share work back to you. Find files students sent you in shared files. Use Google Classroom to distribute lesson links and files.
Create a group
Create a named group (a reading group, a table) from the class sidebar, add students, and then send actions to that group only. Classroom can also group students automatically by the app they're using. Apple guide
End class and review the Class Summary
- Choose to end the class to release student devices.
- Review the Class Summary to see which apps students used and for how long.
- On Shared iPads, sign students out so the iPads are ready for the next class.
Class Summary · End your class
Tips by grade band
K-2 (iPad)
- Open the app for students, then lock them in it. Fewer taps for young students; the most useful single move.
- Each K-2 student has an assigned iPad. Only where Shared iPad is configured: students tap their name and enter their passcode; at the end of class, sign everyone out from Classroom so the device is ready. Student work keeps syncing to iCloud after sign-out.
- Forgotten password: ask your Tech Lead or submit a Help Desk ticket.
- Routine: teach "screens go dark = eyes on me" in the first week.
Grades 3-12 (MacBook Neo)
- Classroom on a teacher Mac works almost the same as on iPad.
- Build groups once (labs, projects, intervention) and send different apps to each.
- Where enabled for your class, collect student files and AirPlay a student's screen to Apple TV in equipped rooms. Apple guide
- For browser-heavy lessons, pair with Linewize to keep students on approved sites.
SPED classes
A class can include both iPads and Macs. Available actions depend on the student's device: locking an app open is available on iPads, not MacBooks.
Using Apple Classroom with Linewize Classroom Manager
On Macs, use Apple Classroom for the device and apps and Linewize Classroom Manager for websites. On iPads, Apple Classroom is the only classroom tool; Linewize's own documentation lists Classroom Manager for Windows, macOS and Chromebook, not iPad.
Linewize Classroom Manager on Macs: what works
The MacBook Neo runs the Linewize Connect app, which supports fewer classroom features than Chromebooks did.
| I want to… | On a Mac | On an iPad |
|---|---|---|
| Get everyone into the same app | Apple Classroom - Open | Apple Classroom - Open |
| Send everyone to a webpage | Linewize - Open Tab | District Chrome bookmarks or a Google Classroom link |
| Lock students in one app | Not available in Apple Classroom | Apple Classroom |
| Darken screens or mute | Apple Classroom | Apple Classroom |
| Keep students on approved sites only | Linewize - Focus | Set in advance (district filter, device settings) |
| Allow or block one site for this class | Linewize - rule | Not available in class; submit a Help Desk ticket in advance |
| Pause internet | Linewize | Not available |
| See browsing history from class | Linewize - Student Journey report | Apple Classroom Class Summary shows apps only |
Use Focus and Pause Internet when they are available in your class. If a control is missing or does not work, submit a Help Desk ticket.
Teach these two Mac behaviors:
- The first time a student on a Mac joins an active class, macOS asks them to let Classroom Manager share or monitor the screen. They must choose Allow, or the teacher sees nothing.
- A new block rule does not close existing Mac tabs. Cached pages, games or videos can remain visible until refreshed or their cache runs out. Focus restricts browsing but does not close existing tabs; use Apple Classroom Lock for an immediate attention pause, then Unlock.
Sources: Linewize Classroom Manager feature availability · Classroom Manager FAQ · Connect feature availability by filter mode
| Feature | Mac (Connect app) |
|---|---|
| Focus on chosen sites | When enabled for your class |
| Allow / block rules for the class | Yes |
| Open a tab for students | Yes |
| Pause internet | When enabled for your class |
| Reward (temporary access) | Yes |
| Screen view, Live View, save screenshot | Yes |
| Class announcement, one-way message, screen share | Yes |
| Student Journey report | Yes (if enabled for the teacher) |
| Close a student's tab | No |
| List view of open tabs | No |
| Lock to one page | No |
| Bypass codes, two-way chat, tab limit | No |
Curating links: allow first, block less
The shift: instead of leaving the web open and blocking problems as they appear, plan which sites students need, approve them before the lesson, and package them so teachers can send them in one tap. This matters most on iPads, where teachers have no in-class website controls, and on Macs, where Linewize can't close tabs or lock to a page.
How teachers send curated links
- District Chrome bookmarks (where provided): use the approved lesson links on student devices. Check that students can find and open them before class. If a bookmark is missing, post the link in Google Classroom.
- Apple Classroom - Open (iPad and Mac): opens Chrome on every device. On iPads only, lock students in the app to keep them in it.
- Linewize - Open Tab and Focus (Macs): sends the exact page, then keeps students on the lesson's sites.
- Apple Classroom - Agendas: a saved sequence of timed items with actions; use app actions (open Chrome; lock in the app on iPads only) and let the Chrome bookmarks carry the links. Agendas can be shared with other teachers. Apple guide
1. District
Linewize filter policy: blocked categories, always-allowed core tools, assessment sites
Owner: Tech + curriculum
Applies to: iPads and Macs
2. Device
MDM and Google Admin: Chrome as the only browser, managed Chrome bookmarks, K-2 Home Screen links
Owner: Tech team
Applies to: Per device group
3. Library
Vetted link sets by grade and subject: Chrome bookmark folders, Linewize Focus lists
Owner: Trainers + grade/content teams
Applies to: Teachers
4. Lesson
Open Chrome; on iPads, lock students in the app. On Macs, use Linewize Open Tab, Focus and class rules
Owner: Teacher
Applies to: One class
On iPads, locking students in Chrome keeps them in the browser but does not limit which pages they visit; on iPads, layers 1 and 2 do that.
Suggested request workflow
- A teacher or team submits a site with grade, subject, and how it's used.
- The site is reviewed (instructional value, student data privacy).
- Approved sites go into the district allow policy and the matching grade/subject library.
- The tech team adds them to the managed Chrome bookmark folder for that grade or subject.
Troubleshooting
A student (or the whole class) shows offline
Try these in order:
- Bluetooth is on for the teacher and student device, and neither is in Airplane Mode.
- Both are on the district Wi-Fi - not a hotspot or guest network.
- The student is signed in with their district Managed Apple Account.
- Restart the student device, then quit and reopen Classroom on the teacher device.
- Install any pending iPadOS or macOS updates.
- Still offline → submit a ticket.
If the whole class is offline, check the teacher's device first (Bluetooth, Wi-Fi). If one student keeps dropping off, the device may be missing its education configuration from MDM - that's a ticket.
Other common issues
| Symptom | Likely cause | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Lock or Mute doesn't work | Class is set up as remote, or student out of range | Use a nearby class; check Bluetooth |
| Screen view is greyed out | Class setup, permissions or connection | Submit a ticket |
| Class or student missing | Class roster or device setup | Submit a ticket |
| Device unlocked by itself | Left Bluetooth range or lost connection ~20 seconds | Expected behavior; relock |
| Site blocked for everyone | District filter policy | Submit a ticket; on Macs, a teacher can allow a site for their class with a Linewize rule |
Submitting a ticket
Submit a Help Desk ticket and include:
- School, room, teacher, class period
- Device type (iPad or Mac) and asset tag
- Student name - never a password
- What you already tried, plus a screenshot (iPad: top button + volume up; Mac: Shift-Command-3)
Resources
Start teachers with Apple's Quick Guides (Learning with Apple): short how-tos on focus tools, organizing an iPad, Screen Time, accessibility, and creative apps on iPad and Mac.
- Classroom User Guide - Apple's step-by-step for every feature, iPad and Mac
- What is Classroom? - class types, Shared iPad, requirements overview
- Use actions to guide learning - every action and which work in remote classes
- Apple Education Community - Apple Teacher learning, lessons, peer Q&A
- Apple Deployment Guide for Education - tech team: Classroom infrastructure requirements
- Linewize Help Center - Classroom Manager and filter help