With the COVID-19 pandemic keeping us locked inside our homes to prevent the spread of the virus, gaming and video streaming services have seen a surge in user numbers. Amazon has been quick to include a new “Watch Party” in its Prime Video streaming service, starting in the US nearly six months ago. The feature has now rolled out to Amazon Prime users in India. It allows them to watch movies and TV shows with friends and family members.
Host an Amazon Prime Video Watch Party
If you are someone who wants to watch movies and TV shows with friends, follow the steps below to set up a Watch Party on Amazon Prime Video:
Start an Amazon Prime Video Watch Party
1. Go to the Amazon Prime Video website and sign in. Now choose the movie or TV show you want to watch with your friends and family.
2. Open the movie/TV show landing page to see a new “Watch Party” Button on the right.
To note: If you’re hosting a Watch Party for a mid-season TV show, click the “Watch Party” button at the top right to play the next episode online. To watch a specific episode with your friends/family, scroll down to “Episode List” and click the “Watch Party” button for a certain episode you want to watch together.
3. Clicking the “Watch Party” button will prompt Amazon Prime Video to enter the name you want to use in the chat. Then click on the “Create a watch party” button.
4. Now that you have created an Amazon Prime Video Watch Party, copy the link in the right pane and share it with your friends. You can have up to 100 users join the watch party at the same time. They must all have an individual Prime subscription.
5. This right pane includes the Settings and Chat view. You can see who all joined and left the watch group in the chat view (as shown below). The chat experience is very simple. You can only send text messages and a handful of in-app emoji.
6. Whoever launches the Amazon Prime Video Watch Party is also the host. They are the only ones who can control the reading. The host can play, pause, and fast forward or rewind content for all users. You are only a participant, who has the right to control audio and subtitles from their side, if you registered using the link.
Ending an Amazon Prime Video Watch Party
If you’re done watching Mirzapur or The Office with your friends, here are the steps to end an Amazon Prime Video Watch Party:
1. Under the Settings tab in the right pane, you will see an “End Watch Party” button in the Watch Party details section.
2. Amazon Prime Video confirm if you want to end the Watch Party when you click on the “End Monitoring Party” button. Click “Yes” and you will be redirected to the main website.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which devices support Amazon’s Watch Party feature?
Unfortunately, the Watch Party feature is currently only supported on web browsers (except Safari). You cannot join through your smartphone, tablet, smart TV, or Fire TV devices.
Can non-Prime members join a Watch Party?
No. You must have an Amazon Prime subscription to be able to join a Watch Party. If you click on an invite link, the website will invite you to sign up for a membership (starting at Rs. 129 per month) to join the rally.
Can you join Watch Parties from outside India?
No, you cannot join the Watch Party of a friend from another country. Amazon says the feature requires “Your subscription must be entitled to the same country as the host’s home subscription”.
Is there a Prime Video Watch Party extension?
If the Amazon Prime Video Watch Party feature is not available in your country, you can use the Prime Video Party extension (Chrome Web Store, To free) to watch movies and TV shows with friends.
How to start a Watch Party on Netflix?
If you are looking for a similar experience on other streaming platforms, you can refer to our in-depth guide on how to watch movies with friends online. It lists how you can watch with friends on Netflix, YouTube, and other websites.
Watch movies/TV shows with friends on Amazon Prime Video
With Amazon integrating a Watch Party feature into its video streaming platform, you no longer need to rely on third-party tools to watch movies and TV shows with a friend or family member. It also eliminates the need for a messaging service, as users can text each other within Prime Video itself. So yeah, if you’re bored and could possibly use some company, reach out to your friends and easily start an Amazon Prime Video Watch Party. Enjoy!
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