Netsupport School 15 New |top| ⚡

NetSupport School 15 features a complete overhaul of the user interface, moving to a modern ribbon-style toolbar across its Tutor, Technician, and Student components to make features easier to find. Key New Features in Version 15

"Highlight Text" Questions: A new assessment format where students must click on specific words or phrases in a statement to identify the correct answer.

Clickable URLs: When a teacher sends a message to the class, any included web links are now clickable for students, streamlining navigation to specific resources.

Updated Tech Console: Includes a "Quick Search" function to instantly find users or machines by name, IP, or even the specific application they are currently running.

Energy Saving Tools: Teachers can now power off student PCs that are not logged in, helping to reduce school energy costs.

Multi-Monitor Support: Teachers can switch between views of different monitors if a student is using more than one screen. Key Functions Retained & Improved

Testing and Assessment: A redesigned Test Designer UI makes it simpler to create exams with various question types, including drag-and-drop options.

Student Wellbeing: Built-in tools for capturing student "wellbeing" and feedback during the lesson.

Classroom Control: Retains core functions like locking screens, blanking monitors, and restricting internet or application use.

Collaboration: Real-time chat, digital journals of lesson content, and a virtual whiteboard for interactive teaching. New version of NetSupport School out now!

NetSupport School 15 introduced a significant overhaul to its on-premise classroom management solution, focusing on an improved user experience and enhanced instruction tools. Key New Features in Version 15

Modernized User Interface: A brand-new ribbon bar interface replaces traditional menus and toolbars, making it faster for teachers to find features and complete tasks without extra steps. netsupport school 15 new

Enhanced Student Monitoring: Teachers can now switch between multiple student monitors or view the entire desktop. Teachers also have the new ability to blank individual screens rather than just the entire class.

New Assessment Tools: The testing tool includes a new "Highlight Text" question type where students must identify specific words in a statement.

Clickable URLs: When a teacher sends a message to students, any included URLs are now clickable links, directing students instantly to the correct resources.

Energy and Power Management: In addition to standard power-on/off, teachers can now remotely power off student PCs that are not logged on, helping to reduce school energy costs.

Updated Tech Console: The technician's console also features the new ribbon UI and a Quick Search function to find students or teachers by username, IP address, or active application. Additional Enhancements New features - NetSupport School

NetSupport School 15 represents a major overhaul of the long-standing classroom management platform, shifting toward a more modern, efficient design that prioritizes ease of use for both teachers and IT technicians Refreshed User Interface The most significant change in version 15 is a completely redesigned user interface Ribbon Bar Navigation

: Traditional toolbars and menus have been replaced by an intuitive ribbon bar at the top of the console. This design, co-produced with schools, groups features logically to reduce "menu diving" and make completing tasks faster. Simplified Workflows

: New-style wizards guide users through creating tests and questions, ensuring that even technology-shy educators can navigate advanced features. Enhanced Teaching and Assessment Tools

Version 15 introduces several new ways for teachers to interact with and assess their students: "Highlight Text" Questions

: A new question type in the testing tool requires students to highlight specific sections of text to demonstrate understanding. Interactive Rewards : Teachers can now send animated stickers

to student toolbars to recognize achievement or positive behavior. Class Timer NetSupport School 15 features a complete overhaul of

: A new timer on the ribbon bar allows teachers to schedule actions, such as automatically blocking internet access after a set duration or shutting down devices at the end of a lesson. Improved Multi-Monitor Support

: If a student uses multiple monitors, the teacher's thumbnail view now includes icons to switch between screens or view the entire desktop at once. Technician and Connectivity Improvements Technician’s Console

has also been updated with the new ribbon interface and specialized tools for managing school-wide technology: Quick Search

: IT teams can now search for specific users, machines, or even currently running applications across the network to provide immediate support. Connectivity Server (Gateway)

: The console window is now resizable and features a filter bar for searching students. For security, version 15.12 introduced support for higher AES encryption algorithms for server keys. Group Policy Enhancements

: Even more Tutor Console settings can now be locked or configured via Group Policy to ensure consistent deployment across a district. Platform-Specific Updates

NetSupport School 15 continues to expand its cross-platform reach:

: Formerly known as NetSupport Assist, the macOS version now features the refreshed UI and added a Classwizard

to help teachers manage students spread across multiple physical rooms. Android & ChromeOS

: The Android Student has been updated to support newer SDKs (Android 7.0+), and the Chrome Student now complies with Google's Manifest v3 standards. for version 15 or how to from an older version? New features - NetSupport School

Dark Mode & Accessibility

For the first time, the teacher console supports a native Dark Mode, reducing eye strain during long grading sessions. Additionally, screen reader support and keyboard navigation have been drastically improved to meet global accessibility standards (WCAG 2.1). Dark Mode & Accessibility For the first time,

Verdict: The learning curve for veterans of v14 is roughly 45 minutes. For new users, it is far more intuitive.

NetSupport School 15 Review: The Gold Standard Gets a Modern Polish

Rating: 4.7/5
Best For: K-12 schools, vocational trainers, university computer labs, and corporate IT trainers.
Competitors: LanSchool, Vision, Veyon, GoGuardian Teacher.

NetSupport School has long been a titan in the classroom management software space. With version 15, the developers haven’t just added a few minor tweaks; they’ve delivered a substantial update focused on cross-platform parity (Windows/ChromeOS) , student wellbeing, and modern UI/UX. After spending two weeks testing NSS 15 in a mixed Windows/Chromebook lab environment, here is my complete review.

Components and roles

Part 9: Migration Guide – Moving from 14 to 15

Upgrading is straightforward, but here is the new migration tool that prevents headaches:

  1. Backup: Use the built-in Backup Utility (v15 creates a .ns15backup file).
  2. Run the Configuration Wizard: The new wizard detects your old v14 database and asks: "Do you want to keep your existing Room layouts and Student Groups?" (Select Yes).
  3. Side-by-Side Mode: For one month, v15 can run alongside v14 on the same network. This allows you to test the new features on a pilot class while others continue on v14.
  4. Final Cutover: Run the "Console Merger" to bring v14 logs into the v15 interface.

Warning: Once you convert a Student PC to v15, it cannot communicate with a v14 Teacher Console. Plan your rollout during a holiday break.

2. The "Game-Changing" Question Designer

One of the most interesting pedagogical additions is the new Question Designer Module. Previously, quick quizzes were often limited to multiple choice.

Version 15 introduces "gamification" elements into assessment. Teachers can now create questions that include:

This moves the software from a "policing" tool (stopping kids from playing games) to an "engagement" tool (making the lesson feel like a game).

Common Questions About the Upgrade

Q: Does v15 require a new server? A: No. The server component has been optimized to run on lighter hardware (a Raspberry Pi 4 can now act as a gateway for up to 30 devices).

Q: Can I run v14 and v15 side by side? A: No. Mixed versions will cause console-disconnect errors. Upgrade all Technician and Student agents simultaneously.

Q: Is there a Mac M1 native version? A: Yes. The macOS student client is now universal binary (Intel + Apple Silicon).

Q: How does the AI handle non-English keywords? A: The sentiment analysis works for 12 languages (English, Spanish, French, German, Arabic, Chinese Simplified, Japanese, Korean, Portuguese, Russian, Dutch, Italian).

Streamlined Connectivity and Performance

One of the most significant hurdles in digital learning is the technical friction of connecting devices. NetSupport School 15 addresses this head-on with a re-engineered connectivity engine. The introduction of a new "classroom connector" service ensures that teachers and students connect faster and more reliably, regardless of whether they are on the same local network or connecting remotely via a VPN. This seamless integration is vital for modern schools where BYOD (Bring Your Own Device) policies and mixed-platform environments are common.

Security & permissions