New World Scheduler (NWS) is software system designed for Jehovah’s Witnesses to help with scheduling and organizing your congregation.
NWS consists of three separate packages that all work together:
NWS Desktop 8.2
Easy. Simple. Fast.
Have an Apple Mac? See How to install New World Scheduler on Apple Mac
New World Scheduler is available in 120+ languages
It is used by thousands of congregations in 180+ countries
- Note: To download NWS Mobile, please see NWS Mobile
- Note: To download NW Publisher app, please see NW Publisher app
NWS Desktop 8.2
Overview
Welcome to NWS Desktop 8.2!
This release is primarily a Bug Fix release, which consolidates all the bug fixes over the last few months. We’ve also added a few minor updates to various features.
NWS Mobile is now very stable. We have improved the User Interface and added many more features.
Please Note: NWS Desktop was first created over 7 years ago, and a lot has changed in that time. Over the last few months we’ve been updating NWS Desktop and NW Publisher app code and data to new, modern standards. This also ensures all NWS Scheduler, NWS Mobile and NW Publisher app code and data are consistent. This project has now been completed. We understand some users experienced bugs and data problems during this transition, and we apologize for any inconvenience caused.
There is also much you can do to minimize problems:
- Promptly report all bugs and problems via our website. We thoroughly investigate all bugs, and if confirmed, we fix them within the week. If bugs are promptly reported, you benefit yourself, others and us. Please don’t just wait, or assume someone else will report the problem. If we don’t know about it, we can’t fix it.
- Keep NWS up-to-date. Bug fixes are released in the next Minor Update. However, if brothers do not update, they do not receive the fix, and may experience problems many months after it was already fixed. Many brothers do not regularly update NWS, which causes problems not only for themselves, but for all elders in their congregation.
Warm Christian Love, New World Scheduler Team
Release Notes
Updating
- To help brothers promptly update to new versions, we’ve added two new features:
- Update Icon at the top of the screen. Clicking this button will take you to the update screen, where you can immediately download and install the latest update.
- Minor Updates are now automatically downloaded to your computer, and when you close NWS Desktop, you are prompted to please update. If you click Yes, NWS Desktop will quickly and silently update after you close. Note: This does not include Major Updates, which must still be manually installed.
Information Board
- Updated design
- Attachments now sync between NWS Desktop and NWS Mobile, so they can be viewed by any brother even without NW Publisher app
- Added ‘mark-down’ text support. E.G. *text* for bold, and _text_ for italics
Scheduling
- Midweek Chairman Notes added ‘mark-down’ text support. E.G. *text* for bold, and _text_ for italics
- Public Talk Outlines in different languages now include Notes and Updated dates based on the English outlines (if no existing notes or updates exists)
- Can now use Free Text when scheduling Weekend Assignments, Cleaning, Garden Care, Custom Duties and Memorial
- Hospitality has been improved, with 3 new statuses: Unconfirmed, Confirmed and Not Available. This is in addition to who is scheduled
Custom Schedules
- Custom Schedules can now be optionally shown on NW Publisher app under Schedules
- When selecting Persons to schedule, added Filter boxes to narrow down who to choose
- Added a new Week Range option for making Custom Schedules per week
Territories
- Can now import a Territory Address into the correct Territory based on the coordinates of the address (e.g. Latitude and Longitude)
- Territory Coverage Report now includes Total Addresses/Apartments, including Status and Languages
- Emails added ‘mark-down’ text support. E.G. *text* for bold, and _text_ for italics
NWS MOBILE (BETA)
- NWS Mobile has a new and improved User Interface for both mobile devices and desktop/large tablets
- Many more features have now been implemented in NWS Mobile
- NWS Mobile is now very stable
- Please see Help > Getting Started > NWS Mobile for more information
NW PUBLISHER APP (NWP) (4.1.0 or greater)
- Support for markdown in several places
- Support for showing Custom Schedules on the Schedule view
- Performance improvements for selecting Territory Addresses in Google Maps
- Improved Error Logs
- Various other bug fixes and minor improvements
NWS Desktop 8.1
Download Link: New World Scheduler 8.1
Overview
Welcome to NWS Desktop 8.1!
We have added several new features, many improvements to Territories and additional security enhancements to NW Publisher app.
NWS Mobile continues to be improved and refined. A big Thank You to all the BETA testers who are submitting detailed problem reports! Please continue to send BETA reports via our website.
IMPORTANT 1: After you first open NWS Desktop 8.1, you may be asked to Send App Data. If so, please Send App Data. This ensures NWP has the latest, secure data.
IMPORTANT 2: As mentioned in January, all congregations must change to the new Sharing Servers before May 1st, 2026. The process is very simple and takes just 30 seconds. If your congregation has not yet transitioned, please make sure to do so this week:
- Ensure all appointed brothers have closed NWS.
- One Congregation Administrator opens NWS Desktop, clicks Congregation > Congregation Sharing > Change Region.
- He then selects the NEW Region and clicks OK. Data will sync to the NEW region and the old region will be automatically deleted.
- The next time any other appointed brother opens NWS he will be asked to select the new region.
Warm Christian Love, New World Scheduler Team
Release Notes
NEW FEATURE: Custom Scheduler
- A new Custom Scheduler under Schedule. This allows you to create custom schedules for anything congregation-related that does not already exist in NWS. For example: Pioneer School meal preparation, picking up elderly, meals for the sick, security for local LDC construction, LDC meal preparation, etc.
- Each Custom Schedule can have its own name, dates and roles, which can all be customized.
- Once the schedule is setup, you can then assign publishers to fulfill a role for a specific date.
- Data will show on NW Publisher app, and printed reports will also be added later.
NEW FEATURE: Memorial Scheduler
- A new Memorial Scheduler under Schedules. This allows you to schedule all the roles for the Memorial.
- Roles can be added, removed or customised, including specifying how many people for each role, and Notes for each role.
- “Default Roles” are automatically added the first time you open NWS Desktop, but please feel free to customize these.
- Data will show on the NW Publisher app, and printed reports will also be added later.
- Note: We tried very hard to have this ready before the memorial, but ran out of time. But next year will come around in no time! 🙂
IMPORTANT: NW Publisher app Authentication
- We are continuously improving and enhancing data security and authentication to keep up-to-date with our ever-changing world. We try very hard to minimize disruptions to users, but occasionally this requires a user to re-login to NWP app, especially if they first logged in a long time ago. This is normal. This is not a bug and not a problem. This ensures their data remains secure. Our website contains the latest directions on how to authenticate users, so please keep up-to-date with any new direction.
- Occasionally, we also require data to be re-sent from NWS to NWP to ensure your data is using the latest encryption algorithms and updates.
- After you first open NWS Desktop 8.1, you may be asked to Send App Data. If so, please Send App Data. This ensures NWP has the latest, secure data.
Congregation Sharing
- FINAL REMINDER: Five new Sharing Servers were added in January. These new servers are much faster and even more secure. All congregations must change to the new Sharing Servers before May 1st, 2026. This does not affect NW Publisher app or publishers.
- The process is very simple and takes just 30 seconds:
- Ensure all appointed brothers have closed NWS.
- One Congregation Administrator opens NWS Desktop, clicks Congregation > Congregation Sharing > Change Sharing Region.
- He then selects the NEW Region and clicks Change Sharing Region. Data will sync to the NEW region and the old region will be automatically deleted.
- The next time any other appointed brother opens NWS he will be asked to select the new region.
Congregation
- Congregation Overview now shows the Age Demographic in categories of 10 years.
Territories
- When assigning territories, a new “Show to” field has been added. This allows you to choose either Congregation, Field Service Groups (multiple), Persons (multiple) or Family, and affects who can see the territory on NWP app.
- On NWP app, the publisher Assigned a territory can now adjust the Show to. This means they can effectively ‘share’ the territory to other Persons or Field Service Groups.
- On NWP app, when Self-Assigning a territory, the publisher can now specify the Campaign.
- On NWP app, the Congregation Territory List has a new Filter button.
- On NWP app, territories will now show a Google Maps Preview if no image has been added.
- On NWP app, territories will now show statistics of how many addresses on the map, and how many have been completed.
- On NWP app, can now tap “Get address at current location” when adding New Addresses.
- On NWP app, can now set the Status when adding New Addresses.
- NWP app Territory Address filter has been improved and enhanced.
- NWP app Address View has been improved, including moving the buttons to more logical places.
- On NWP app, when a publisher completes the final address on a territory (100%) they get a small reward.
- Territories can now freely be changed between In Person | Letter Writing | Phone | Business. This affects how the territory is viewed on NWP app.
- Territory Overview now offers a 24-month comparison period.
- Territory Assignments will now display the Historical Last Completed Date. This date is automatically updated on completion, and is not removed even when Territory Assignment Records expire.
- Can now Sign in with Hotmail (including Outlook) to send NWS emails.
NWS MOBILE (BETA)
- NWS Mobile continues to be improved and refined. A big Thank You to all the BETA testers who are submitting detailed problem reports! Please continue to send BETA reports via our website.
- Please see Help > Getting Started > NWS Mobile for more information.
NW PUBLISHER APP (NWP) (4.0.0 or greater)
- The publisher Assigned to a territory can now adjust the Show to. This means they can effectively ‘share’ the territory other Persons or Field Service Groups.
- When Self-Assigning a territory, the publisher can now specify the Campaign.
- The Congregation Territory List has a new Filter button.
- Territories will now show a Google Maps Preview if no image has been added.
- Territories will now show statistics of how many addresses on the map, and how many have been completed.
- Can now tap “Get address at current location” when adding New Addresses.
- Can now set the Status when adding New Addresses.
- Territory Address filter has been improved and enhanced.
- Address View has been improved, including moving the buttons to more logical places.
- When a publisher completes the final address on a territory (100%) they get a small reward.
- My Contact Information and My Emergency Contacts have been separated.
Previous Versions of New World Scheduler
For all previous versions of New World Scheduler, including information about what changed with each version, please visit New World Scheduler Download Archives.