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.
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 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. netsupport school 15 new
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 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 introduced a significant overhaul to
: 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
The Good: The new ribbon toolbar is customizable. You can pin your top 5 actions (e.g., "Block Web," "Ask Question"). Dark mode is a lifesaver for afternoon classes. Suggested Use Cases
The Mixed: The sheer number of buttons can overwhelm new teachers. There are 15+ icons just for the "Internet Control" sub-menu. NetSupport includes a "Basic Mode" toggle, but most users don't find it until week two. A more aggressive simplification wizard for first-time setup would help.
The headline feature of NetSupport School 15 new release is the AI Tutor. Unlike standard thumbnail views, this AI module scans student screens in real-time using on-device machine learning.
Perhaps the most useful feature for students is the automated Student Journal.
At the end of a lesson, the teacher can publish a "Journal" that automatically collects everything that happened during the session:
This creates a PDF dossier of the lesson. For a student who missed class, or one who struggles with note-taking, this is a lifesaver. It essentially creates a "replay" file of the entire learning period.
While the look is different, the new teaching capabilities in NetSupport School 15 are the headline act.
For years, schools had to buy NetSupport School for teachers and NetSupport DNA for IT technicians. Version 15 merges the core DNA console into the School license (at no extra cost for existing DNA users).
We spoke to beta testers to get the raw feedback on the "New" features.
"The floating toolbar saved my lesson. I was demonstrating coding in Visual Studio, and I could instantly blank a student's screen without leaving the code window. In v14, I had to alt-tab five times." — David K., High School CS Teacher, Texas
"I was skeptical about the mental health flags. But last week, the software flagged a student who typed 'I don't see the point' in a private chat. It turned out to be a genuine cry for help. That feature alone justifies the upgrade." — Sarah M., Safeguarding Lead, UK
"Managing 30 remote Chromebooks was a nightmare until v15. The Hybrid Bridge actually works. I can see their tabs, push links, and even see if they are watching Netflix in a tiny window. It's incredible." — Carlos R., IT Director, Florida