With social distancing norms and lockdowns, going to a theatre might be a distant dream. Fortunately for you, Amazon has introduced a Watch Party feature, allowing you to watch movies and TV shows with your friends and family together from the remote comfort of your house.
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In the following post, we’ll discuss what the ‘Watch party’ feature is all about, how to create one, and join it to watch content on Amazon Prime together with your loved ones.
What is the ‘Watch party’ feature on Amazon Prime Video![]()
With Watch party turned on, you will be able to view movies and TV shows that are available on Amazon Prime together with other Amazon Prime members. The host of a Watch party session will have control over video playback and when they pause, play, or stop a video, it will be applied to videos of all participants logged in to the Watch Party. Users can also chat with others using the built-in chat function with support for emojis as well.
What do you need
To get started with Watch Party on Amazon Prime Video, you need to have the following list checked:
- You and your participants reside in the US
- You and all other participants have an Amazon Prime membership
- A desktop with a web browser installed other than Safari or Internet Explorer
- A movie or TV show that supports Watch Party functionality
How many people can join a Watch Party
At the moment, you can host up to 100 participants in a single Watch Party session on Amazon Prime Video. This includes the host as well.
How to create a watch party on Prime Video
Before creating a Watch Party session, you will need to first select an eligible title inside your Prime Video account. To do so, head over to the Prime Video website and search for titles with the Prime Logo or ‘Watch Now with Amazon Prime’ option inside the video listing. This is because the Watch party functionality only works with content that’s available via your Prime Membership.
At launch, Watch Party is available with a range of Prime Video subscription video-on-demand content including those from Amazon Originals and third-party productions. Some popular Amazon Originals content you can watch with your friends include The Big Sick, Homecoming, My Spy, Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan, Fleabag, Mindy Kaling’s Late Night, and The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel.
Now that you have selected a title to watch, select the ‘Watch Party’ option from the video listing. You will now be asked to Enter your name inside the ‘What’s Your Name?’ box and when you do, click on the ‘Create Watch Party’ button. This will generate a Watch Party link.
You can start inviting friends and family members to your Watch Party by clicking the Share icon. You can also choose to invite participants by clicking the ‘Copy Link’ button and then sending it to your loved ones using a messaging app or via a social media app.
You will be notified when users join your Watch Party session and then you can proceed to start the movie with everyone else.
How to join a Prime Video Watch Party
If you’re not the host of a Prime Video Watch Party, you can join one by clicking on the Watch Party link that someone shared with you. You can only join a Watch Party session if you have a Prime Membership.
When you open the Watch Party link, you’ll be asked to enter the desired name inside the ‘What’s Your Name?’ box. After entering your name, click on the ‘Join Watch Party’ button. You will be taken to the video playback screen and the video will start as soon as the host starts playing the selected title.
Why can’t I get the Watch Party on my account
You won’t be able to access the Watch Party feature if
- You’re living outside the US
- You do not have a Prime Membership
- You’re using Amazon Prime on your smartphone, tablet, Fire TV, Smart TV, gaming console, or a media player
- You’re using a VPN service on your computer
- The Watch Party already has 100 participants logged in
- The movie or TV show is not eligible with Watch Party (Titles that you bought or rented aren’t supported either)
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How do you feel about the new ‘Watch Party’feature on Prime Video?
