In this article I will share how to watch videos with friends on Instagram. Since the coronavirus outbreak has spread, the Government has advised us to stay at home for a while. Staying at home doesn’t mean we have to break up with anyone, there are many ways to stay connected with our friends and relatives from home.
Instagram saw this need and accelerated the rollout of their new Co-Watching feature which allows you and your Instagram friends to watch Instagram videos and posts together.
What is the Co-Watching Feature?
Co-Watching is Instagram’s equivalent of watching someone with your phone so they can see something you’ve been enjoying with you. This feature can be accessed by starting a video chat via Instagram’s direct messages tab and tapping the photo icon at the bottom left of the video chat screen. It lets you view saved, liked and recommended posts together as a group.
This innovation allows you to share favorite posts with friends and video chat about them in the same app. You and your friends can laugh at funny videos together or read posts and discuss them live without ever leaving Instagram.
How to Watch Videos with Friends on Instagram
When you find a post that you want to share with your friends or family, follow these steps to start a video viewing session with Instagram friends.
1. Open the message by clicking the arrow in the upper right corner.
2. Tap the video camera icon in the top right corner.
3. Type the name of the friend to add to the chat in the search box.
4. Tap the plus sign that appears.
5. You can also scroll down and select the people you want to include by tapping the circle next to their name. A check mark will be shown in the circle when you have selected that person.
6. When you have added everyone you want to chat with, tap on Start in the top right corner.
Once you have a video chat, a photo icon will appear at the bottom left corner of the screen. This icon is for accessing the Co-Watching feature. Tap to start. From there, you can choose from Instagram photos and videos that you like or save. You can also share from the Explore screen.
If you want to chat with more than one person while using Co-Watching, you need to make sure that everyone in the chat has permission to view the post. If even one person can’t access the post, you can’t share it in chat.
The Future of Instagram Co-Watching
Even after social distancing has passed, the Co-Watching feature on Instagram will continue. But have to compete with Squadron. Squad is an app that allows users to share their entire phone screen while chatting. Instagram limits what you can share to posts you like or save and suggested posts from the browse screen. Squad allows you to share from any app with screen sharing.
Another reason Co-Watching will continue in the future is to help connect people better. Social media life may seem like we are connecting with more people, but in reality, Instagram or Facebook feeds are an isolating experience, not a social one. Co-Watching will help us feel less lonely.
