How to use Netflix Party to watch movies with friends amidst social distancing

With the current COVID-19 crisis forcing people around the globe to practice social distancing and stay at home more, we're all beginning to yearn for a visit from our close friends and relatives. Birthday parties and vacation plans are cancelled or postponed for the time being, and with game night on hiatus indefinitely, who knows when it'll actually be safe again to have a guest over or take a trip to a friend's house.

Netflix Party is a Chrome extension that allows you to still enjoy movie nights with your friends and family using Netflix even while you're miles apart, and it's free to use. To get started, you'll just need to download the Netflix Party extension and have the Google Chrome browser installed on your computer, and of course, you'll need an active Netflix account as well.

Netflix Party The 100

Source: Android Central (Image credit: Android Central)

Netflix Party synchronizes video playback of the movie or show you've selected so that you and your friends can all watch in real time and discuss what's going on in the chatroom on the right side of the screen. At this time, the extension is only available for the Google Chrome browser on desktop and laptop computers.

Hosting a Netflix Party is simple. Once you've installed the extension and click Add to Chrome on the Google Web Store , head to Netflix and click the show or movie you're planning on watching. Then click the NP button in the top right corner of Google Chrome next to the address bar. There you'll find a link which you can share with your friends to invite them to the chat.

Netflix Party The 100 Screenshot

Source: Android Central (Image credit: Android Central)

If you receive a Netflix Party link from a friend and want to join, just click the link and then click the NP button next to the address bar of your browser to get the Party started. Even if you're not the host, you will still need the Netflix Party extension on your computer to join.

Not sure what to binge with your friends just yet? The 100 starts off cliche and transforms rapidly during its six (soon-to-be seven) seasons of madness, intensity, and drama — that's nearly enough to take your mind off the current state of the world. For even more ideas, check out this list of 6 shows on Netflix you haven't watched but definitely should .

For those friends of yours who may not have a Netflix account of their own already, you might want to grab a Netflix gift card from Walmart to get them into the Party. The gift card is sent via email and usually arrives within minutes.