Having tried out Netflix Party ourselves, it's both non-obtrusive and simple to use, with a neat sidebar stuck on the right side of the screen, and options to set an icon and nickname for every person joining the synced stream.The majority of movie theaters are still dark, and folks are still social distancing all thanks to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. In this self-isolating society, having more social features in our content services is a great thing. It also covers a huge number of streaming services compared to its rivals. We've previously reported on the social streaming app Rave (opens in new tab), which lets users sync Netflix or YouTube videos over mobile (or certain VR headsets) with other users of the app.īut Teleparty looks like it will have a far wider user base by virtue of being a browser add-on, rather than being limited to smartphones and tablets. If that's the case for you, the good news is that this isn't the first time we've seen something like this for Netflix.
When we tested Teleparty back when it was still Netflix Party, we have found that it could be quite temperamental for some.
But is it the only way to watch TV shows and films with your friends and family? Are there Teleparty alternatives?
And there you have it, you now know how to use Teleparty. Then people will know who you are within the basic chat window that appears to the right hand side of what you're watching. If you press on that in the top right, you'll be given the option to change your nickname. How to set up your Teleparty nicknameĮvery time we've used Netflix Party or Teleparty, we've been given the icon of a cookie as our profile image. You'll have to redo the party every for new episode of a TV show you want to watch, which can be irritating, but if you follow the steps above you should be able to do it quite quickly. Not everyone watching has to have a subscription to Netflix for this to work, either, so it's a great way to show your new favorite TV show to a friend who otherwise can't watch it with you at your house. Whoever is hosting the party will have control over where you're at, but everyone should follow along at the same time. Now you're in the party, you can choose to play the TV show or film. For example, we Skyped some friends at the same time as watching a TV show so we could talk along like we were sat on a sofa. If you want to be able to talk to your friends, you can always use a separate video calling app at the same time. This is a chatroom so you can talk to people throughout, but this is only for text. Those with the link can then join the party, and you'll see them appear in the box on the right hand side. This is a long URL, so it's likely you'll want to send this through another messaging service to find the right people. You'll then be greeted with a link that you can send out to whoever you want to join. That shouldn't take long to install, and then whoever is logged into the streaming service of choice will then want to set up a party. Whoever wants to watch will need to have Google Chrome running on their computer, and they'll want to download the extension to their browser here (opens in new tab).
You can use it in other web browsers like Safari, Firefox of Microsoft Edge, plus it won't work when you're watching on a TV or a phone either. Secondly, you'll need to have Google Chrome for this feature to work. It's supported by a Patreon (opens in new tab), so if you enjoy the way you can do this, you may want to sponsor the developers there to ensure it keeps going. How to set up Telepartyįirst things first, when it comes to figuring out how to use Teleparty, it's important to note that Teleparty is not an official feature of any of the streaming services it works with. So, whether you've got your heart set on a Disney Plus film or you're keen to binge watch a show on HBO Max, here's everything you need to know. Below, we walk you through exactly how to use Teleparty including the set up process and how to select and change your nickname.