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What is a watch party?

A watch party means watching the same movie or show at the same time and reacting together, in person or online. Other names, examples and how it works.

By the Watch Party teamPublished Updated
A grandmother in her living room and a young family on their sofa waving while watching the same nature video on their laptops

A watch party is a group of people watching the same thing at the same time and reacting together. It can be in person (fans watching a match at a bar) or online, where friends in different places watch the same video in sync and talk over chat or a video call.

Online watch parties: how they work

  1. Everyone opens the same video on their own device and account.
  2. A watch party tool keeps it in sync. When the host plays, pauses or skips, everyone's video does the same.
  3. You react together through chat, reactions, or a voice or video call.

Because everyone streams the video themselves, it plays at full quality for each person. That's the big difference from screen sharing, where one person sends a compressed copy.

Add to Chrome, it's free
PlatformBuilt-in watch party today?How people watch together
NetflixNoA browser extension that syncs everyone's own account
YouTubeNo sync for regular videosAn extension, or a room site you paste links into
DiscordWatch-together activities in voice channelsActivities for YouTube; extensions for streaming services
Disney+GroupWatch ended in 2023A separate watch party tool
Prime VideoIts Watch Party feature was removedA separate watch party tool
TwitchPrime Video watch parties on Twitch ended in April 2024A separate watch party tool

For a service not listed, check its own help pages for built-in features. Remember "Netflix Party"? It's now called Teleparty: see what happened to Netflix Party.

What people use watch parties for

  • Movie nights with friends who live in other cities: how to plan one
  • Long-distance dates: long-distance movie date
  • Series catch-ups with a sibling or friend far away
  • Live sports, launches and finales
  • Study groups working through recorded lectures

Host your first one

The watch party guide covers setup, picking what to watch and making it fun. Choosing a tool? See the best watch party apps.

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Teleparty, Netflix, YouTube, Discord, Twitch, Disney+, Prime Video, Hulu are trademarks of their owners. Watch Party is independent and isn't affiliated with or endorsed by them.

Frequently asked questions

What happens at a watch party?

Everyone watches the same thing at the same time and reacts together: in person at a home or bar, or online with the video kept in sync and a chat or video call alongside.

Is a watch party illegal?

Watching something together isn't illegal. Online, tools that keep each person's own stream in sync don't copy or re-stream the video; everyone watches on their own account, under the service's terms.

What's another name for a watch party?

Viewing party, social viewing, co-watching, or simply an online movie night. "Netflix Party" was the old name of one watch party extension, now Teleparty.

What is a watch party for football or soccer?

Usually an in-person event where fans gather, often at a bar or someone's home, to watch a match together on one screen.

Press play once. Everyone watches together.

Synced playback, live chat and video calls, free in Chrome.

Add to Chrome, it's free

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