Facebook Watch Party used to allow friends to simultaneously watch videos together while sharing their thoughts and impressions in the comment section in real time. While the feature used to be in huge demand in the initial days of the pandemic and lockdown, it slowly lost its appeal over the following months. As a result, Facebook retired it in 2021. Even so, many users enjoyed using the feature, and if you count yourself among them, you’ll want to check out this guide, where we detail a few worthy alternatives to Facebook’s now-defunct feature.
Good to know: want a break from social media? The first step would be to deactivate your Facebook account or delete it for good.
1. Facebook Watch Together
Facebook Watch Together is basically a rebranded version of Facebook Watch Party and is accessible from within group voice or video calls.
Mobile
In Facebook Messenger, open a conversation, then tap on the Voice or Video Call button in the upper right.
Wait until the connection is established with the other party, then decide whether you want to invite more people to the conversation. If so, tap the Add People button in the upper right. Select from your list of Facebook friends.
Once everyone has joined, tap on the middle icon in the option bar at the bottom.
A Suggested list includes clips from various sources, such as Facebook, DailyMail, and more. Other categories are available, too, such as Watched and Uploaded. (Select from your own videos if you have uploaded any to Facebook.)
Once you select a video, it will be displayed for all conversation participants at the top of the screen.
Press Stop watching to end the video-watching session.
Note: the same feature is available on Instagram. Go to Instagram Direct Messages, open a conversation, press the Voice or Video Call button, and find a similar middle icon at the bottom to start a watch party. In contrast to Facebook, you will be able to view posts and Reels along with others.
FYI: getting the “Cannot refresh feed” error on Instagram? Learn how to get rid of it and go back to scrolling.
PC
On PC, you can find the Watch Together option in the upper-right corner after you’ve initiated an audio or video call.
Select your preferred video from the right side menu to have it start playing for all parties.
If you want to close a video, hover your mouse cursor over it, and click the X button. If you wish to add more participants to the conversation, click the + button at the top.
On PC, you also have the option to share your screen, which allows you to share your active window with others.
You will be able to watch YouTube videos or stream movies on your PC, and others can join you.
Tip: want your Facebook and Instagram to be separate entities again? Learn how to unlink Instagram from Facebook.
2. Facebook Live
If you would like to remain on Facebook, but the Watch Together feature doesn’t work that well for you, or you simply find it limited, there’s another option you can try: Facebook Live. The option allows you to broadcast live with the footage streaming on your news feed, timeline, and search results. Learn how to start a Live video on Facebook.
Mobile
Open the mobile app on your device, and tap on the What’s on your mind bar at the top.
Select the Live video option at the bottom to be taken to the recording screen.
Make sure you adjust your audience settings before you start recording. Press on To: underneath your options to select an audience for your live video.
If you only want your friends to see what you’re broadcasting, tap on Friends. The Specific friends option (tap on See more to bring it up) seems particularly relevant for those looking for a Facebook Watch Party alternative. This allows you to share your Live video with only a limited group of people.
If you’ve selected Friends as the audience (or any other option), you’ll have to invite your friends to the Live by tapping on the Add People icon. Note that you can only invite friends and followers to your stream.
Start broadcasting by pressing the Go Live button at the bottom.
Don’t worry if you’ve forgotten to invite someone to your Live. You can do so from the recording screen by pressing the icon that depicts a person with a video screen.
When it’s time to end the Live broadcast, press the Finish button.
PC
To start a Facebook Live on your desktop, click the convenient Live video button underneath your What’s on your mind bar.
There are two options: Go live or Create live video event. If you’re looking for a Facebook Watchparty alternative, you’ll want to go with the first option.
There are a few more options on PC than on mobile. For instance, you can use either your webcam or streaming software to broadcast. The former option allows you to share your screen with the other participants so that you can watch all kinds of videos together.
You can control your audience by tapping on the Friends button on the left to see all the options (including Specific Friends).
Tip: learn how to live stream using AMD Radeon Software.
3. Google Meet
Most video conferencing apps, like Google Meet and Zoom, also have the option to share their screen. You can easily use this feature to watch videos together with others in your free time. This method will appeal to many, as it uses an app you probably already have on your device for work purposes, so you won’t have to download additional software.
Check out our dedicated post on how to start screen sharing in Google Meet, whether you’re using your PC or mobile device.
Tip: if your C drive is filling up, learn how to clean up and free up space on your PC.
4. SharePlay
SharePlay is a feature exclusive to Apple devices. It allows you to listen to or watch videos together with others. You will need a device running iOS 15.1 or iPadOS 15.1 (or above) for this to work.
Start a new FaceTime video with someone on your iOS or iPadOS device.
Once the two of you are connected, navigate to a video, such as one from YouTube.
Go back to the FaceTime call, and press the SharePlay icon in the bar at the top.
Tap on the Share My Screen option. Alternatively, check the Apps for SharePlay section, and select the desired app.
Note: some apps that support SharePlay require a subscription, such as Hulu, HBO Max, etc.
Wait a few seconds, and the other participant(s) will be able to view your screen. Go to YouTube, and start playing the video.
Sometimes it’s better to meet with your friends in real life. Make sure you know how to share your location so that you can find each other faster. When you’re feeling lazy, check out the best sites to play online board games.
Image credit: Freepik. All screenshots by Alexandra Arici.
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