How to Host a Virtual Movie Night with Netflix Party
The HBO Watch Party Chrome extension syncs movies across several devices on the top video-streaming service if you're confined at home but still want to host a movie night with friends and family.
We're all stuck at home because of the COVID-19 pandemic, and while video streaming can help us pass the time, watching TV and movies with pals is more enjoyable. You could get everyone on Zoom at the same time and push play, but there's a better way: Netflix Party.
This Chrome extension lets you invite whomever you want and then syncs the stream across all of your devices. There's also an integrated text chat option, which allows everyone to speak while the video is playing. Here's how to get your remote viewing party ready.
Install HBO Watch Party on your computer.
Although there are no difficult downloads required for HBO Watch Party, you must still install the official extension
from the Chrome Web Store. Because HBO Party is only accessible as a Chrome extension, you must be on a desktop computer to use it; it does not operate on mobile devices. As the name implies, this only works with HBO, and everyone you plan to invite will require their own Netflix subscriptions.
Make a Streaming Party for Yourself
You should see a grey NP symbol on the Chrome toolbar once the extension is installed. Open your browser and go to
Netflix to find the show or movie you want to watch. The NP icon should turn red as the video starts playing, suggesting that you can now schedule a viewing.
To produce a shareable code, click the red NP icon to open a small window and then click
Start Party. Send this to your visitors, and they'll be able to join the party you've organised and communicate with you using the extension's chat feature.