Guide

How to watch movies with friends on Windows

No shared couch, no problem. Here is everything you need to watch a film together online, with everyone on the same moment and hearing the same gasps.

Updated: August 20, 2024

Why watch together online

Half the fun of a movie night is watching it with other people. When you can’t sit on the same couch, a watch party app keeps everyone on the same moment of the film and lets you hear and see the reactions as they happen.

That is what OurBeam is built for: a Windows app where up to 8 people share one room, press play together and keep camera and mic on.

What you need

  • A Windows 10 or 11 PC for everyone in the room
  • The OurBeam app, from the download page
  • Access to the film or show you want to watch. Each person needs their own access to whatever you watch together
  • A stable internet connection
  • Headphones or a headset (optional, but they prevent echo)

Step by step

  1. Download and install OurBeam from the download page.
  2. Create an account with an email address, a username and a password.
  3. Open a room in the app and share its invite link, or give your friends the 6-digit room code to use on the join page.
  4. Wait until everyone has taken a seat. A room holds up to 8 people, including you.
  5. Press play. When anyone plays, pauses or skips, it happens for the whole room.

Tips for a smooth movie night

  • Choose the film before the night, so nobody scrolls for forty minutes.
  • Ask everyone to install the app a day early.
  • Join ten minutes before the start to sort out sound and camera.
  • Use headphones to avoid echo.
  • Agree on mic manners: mute during dialogue, unmute for reactions.
  • For a long film, plan a short break halfway.

If something goes wrong

  • You can’t hear someone: check that their mic is on and that Windows lets the app use it. See the camera and mic guide.
  • The room is full: a room stops at 8 people. Someone has to leave, or you can start a second room.
  • Windows shows a warning when you install: read the steps on the download page.

More answers are in the OurBeam FAQ.

More guides

Ready to watch together?

Download OurBeam, open a room and invite up to 7 friends.

Download for Windows