Do you want to watch YouTube with your friends or family via the internet? Here are a few options for doing so while keeping the video playback in sync.
Sharing a YouTube video with friends may be a lot of fun. However, being able to watch it alongside them is much better.
Unfortunately, especially if you live apart, this isn’t always doable. So, in this article, we’ve prepared a list of options for you and your pals to watch YouTube together.
These services not only allow you to watch YouTube with your friends, but they also allow you to sync playback so that you and your friends are watching the same thing at the same time.
1. Watch2Gether
Because it does not require you to create an account, Watch2Gether is an amazing option to watch YouTube with others. You just create a room and then share the URL with your friends to invite them to join.
To find a video, use the search bar at the top of the page or put in a YouTube URL. You may also utilise the chat tool to communicate with everyone, which is convenient because it keeps everything in one location.
2. SyncTube
SyncTube has a simple UI, yet it’s ideal for watching YouTube videos with a group. You can immediately begin watching YouTube videos after creating a room. Using the top bar, look for a video or paste in a URL. Any new video will be added to the room’s playlist automatically.
You may also configure user permissions and govern the room’s privacy, which means you can prevent random people from joining and prevent your pals from mistakenly skipping videos.
3. Sync Video
Sync Video puts you in charge of your own room, which you may share the link to with others. To get started, simply paste a YouTube URL into the area on the right and click Play. Any further videos will be added to a playlist.
You can enable Pause on Buffering in Sync Video, which pauses the broadcast for everyone if anyone’s internet connection is causing their video to lag.
4. twoseven
You and your pals will need to register a free account in order to use twoseven, but it is well worth it.
Twoseven allows everyone in the room to share their webcam and microphone, as well as sync a YouTube video for everyone in the room. This implies that you can all view a video at the same time and see and hear each other. This is excellent for maintaining a personal connection over great distances.
5. &chill
&chill is different from other services that allow you to watch YouTube together. It has all of the expected features—private rooms, the ability to paste YouTube URLs into a playlist, and a text chat—but it also has a unique user interface.
In a virtual cinema, you select your seat and the video is repositioned accordingly. If it seems lame, don’t worry; you can still make the video full screen. You can also use the microphone to communicate with your buddies.
6. myCircle.tv
Simply enter a YouTube URL into the form on the homepage to begin using myCircle.tv, and the site will establish a room for you. Users, already played videos, and forthcoming videos are all displayed in tabs on the UI. In no time, you’ll have a YouTube watch party up and running.
There is a chat box for written conversation, however the possibility to have audio chats may be more useful for pals. It’s nearly as good as having your pals over for a viewing party if you can watch long YouTube movies with them while conversing at the same time. You can also check how much of the video has been preloaded by others, which can help you avoid buffering issues.
7. Metastream
Metastream has a clean, modern design that is simple to use. When you wish to add a video to the playlist, you don’t even have to leave the site or miss what’s now playing because you can browse YouTube from within Metastream.
Apart from a sidebar containing a user list, playlist summary, and text chat, the video takes up the entire screen, which is particularly useful for watching cinematic YouTube films with friends.
The only drawback to Metastream is that it requires the installation of a browser extension, which is simple, quick, and free.
Use a video conferencing tool if possible.
So far, all of these services have been built with the intention of watching YouTube videos with friends in real time.
To get the task done, you may use a video conferencing solution with screen sharing capabilities. You and your pals would participate in a virtual gathering in this scenario. Then one individual would share their screen with the rest of the group, allowing everyone to see it.
Unlike other systems that play the movie locally for each user, our method only allows one person to watch the video at a time—ideally, the one with the fastest internet connection.
In our roundup of free screen-sharing applications, you’ll find the right software for the job.
Common Video Sync Issues and How to Fix Them
Despite the fact that your YouTube viewing party should go off without a hitch, you may encounter some technological difficulties.
Try refreshing the page first. You’ll lose a few seconds of the movie, but most difficulties can be resolved with a quick reload. Don’t worry, it won’t disrupt the stream for the rest of the audience.
Reduce the quality of the stream if your video is continuously stuttering or buffering. As a result of the lower resolution, the video may appear pixelated. However, this is preferable to the video constantly pausing to load more content.
You might also try disabling one or both of the webcams and microphones if the service supports them. This is due to the fact that webcams and microphones consume bandwidth that may be better utilized on the YouTube video itself.
Finally, ad-blockers can cause synchronization issues. If you run one, some services will not work at all, so turn them off. In addition, many YouTube videos will be accompanied with mid-roll advertisements. If you use an ad blocker and your friend does not, the stream will be out of sync once the commercial has finished playing.
How to Watch Videos With Friends Who Live a Long Way Away
As you can see from the list above, there are numerous services that allow you to view YouTube videos with your friends. Give them all a shot and see which one you prefer. They’re all free to use as well. As a result, your choice will be based on which UI and functionality you like.
If you’d rather watch a movie than a YouTube video, several streaming services, such as Disney+, Amazon Prime Video, and Netflix, offer official and third-party group watch features, allowing you to view movies with your friends in real time.
