This Netflix 'Party' Extension Lets You Have a Remote Movie Night by Syncing Accounts (Video)

Staying in quarantine is not just about boredom, it’s also about connecting with other humans. And what better way to connect than having a movie night?

Many cities across the U.S. are making major moves to help contain the coronavirus. As New York City advises people to stay inside, other cities like San Francisco are ordering “shelter-in-place” initiatives to truly make an impact on the virus’ spread.

Sure, there are virtual tours and live streams for just about everything recently, from museums to national parks, but sometimes, you just want to indulge in some pure entertainment like a TV show or movie.

Streaming services like Netflix are, of course, always around for when you need some entertainment. But now, a group of app developers has done us all one better by adding a social element to our binge-watching.

According to Hypebeast, you can now add a special, unofficial Netflix Chrome extension to your browser that allows you and your friends to watch movies and TV shows together, remotely.

The Netflix Party extension can easily be installed on your Chrome browser and the extension will “synchronize video playback and add group chat to your favorite Netflix shows,” according to the Netflix Party website.

Simply install the extension, choose a movie or TV show to play, launch the extension, and send a link to everyone you want to invite to your “party.” There is also a sidebar chat for everyone to send messages and keep in contact during the movie or show — just like if you were hosting a movie night in person.

Having a remote viewing party sounds like an excellent way to maintain “social distancing” while also getting some essential social interaction. Beyond food and toilet paper, isolation and loneliness can be a huge problem when people are forced to stay at home (sometimes completely alone) for the foreseeable future.

For more information or to install the extension, visit the Netflix Party website.