How to Watch YouTube Together on Desktop.
In isolation, when there is no one around, it is impossible to watch the entire concert with friends or voraciously watch the originals of YouTube with your soul mate. You can try the old school way of sharing a link with your friends, and all of you hit the Play button at the same time. But it’s not fun! The second option is to use third-party apps and services that allow you to watch YouTube in real time together. I prefer the second option, and if you prefer that too, here’s how to watch YouTube on your computer and mobile device together.
How to watch YouTube together on desktop and mobile
1. Sync video (no login required)
It allows you to stream YouTube videos even without registration. All you have to do is visit the website, create a new room, and a one-time custom username. Then just paste the YouTube video link in the right sidebar, which also has an Invite Link option. In addition, you can quickly share a YouTube video by simply prefixing the URL of the YouTube video with the “sync-” prefix. If you want to assign playback controls to other users, you can make them room owners with you. It has a chat option, however you cannot video chat, which would add a lot of fun to this great tool.
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What’s good?
- No registration required.
- No Ads
- Add Entire Playlist
- Subtitle support.
- Chat support
What’s wrong?
- No web chat support.
- Unable to create multiple rooms.
- Create shared rooms (login required)
Visit Sync Videos or get a Chrome extension
2. Watch2Gether (create multiple rooms)
Like Sync Video, Watch2Gether allows you to create a shared room without registration and can share a link to invite your friends on board. However, unlike Sync Video, Watch2ght has video chat and many other settings. For example, video can be moved around the screen like in picture-in-picture mode. You can also create multiple rooms if you prefer registration. The only complaint is that there are too many ads on the page, which costs $ 3.77 after a one month trial period.
Watch2Gether does not support subtitles, but you can use a third party extension like Substital to fix this problem.
What’s good?
- Video chat function
- Ability to customize the background.
- Supports Soundcloud, Vimeo, Deezer, etc.
What’s wrong?
- Too many banner ads.
- No subtitle support.
- Random video options.
Visit Watch2Gether or get a Chrome extension
3. Discussion bar (Chrome extension)
This extension is an indispensable tool for creators looking for a YouTube social engagement tool. Start by installing the extension and log into your Google account. There are two ways to invite others. You can create a link and share it or send them a friend request if they already have the extension using the chat box on the right. Once you’re done, you can simply start browsing with friends, join an open room, or create a custom private room for yourself.
It’s a great extension, but the video keeps getting out of sync when you pause the video. So, you have to manually click on the timestamp to navigate to what your friend is watching. Secondly, the chat window covers the ad skipping and quality settings buttons, and every time it is minimized it is annoying.
Pros
- Integrated YouTube chat
- Publish text as YouTube comments
- Create public and private chats
- Let’s add and block users
- Added features with Sketch Pad, Marquee tool.
Cons
- There is no way to sync videos anonymously.
- Login required.
- Doesn’t work when you pause a video.
Get Discussion Panel
Concluding remarks
I hope you try all of these options and watch YouTube both with friends and private. Plus, now that most of you are working from home or self-isolating, this is a great way to communicate while enjoying your favorite shows. So here’s how to watch YouTube on computer and mobile together. Enjoy!
READ ALSO: 7 Best YouTube Extensions for Creators and Power Users