How to Watch YouTube Together on Discord: A Step-by-Step Guide

ByJim Miller

YouTube has recently banned popular music bots such as Rythm and Groovy due to copyright issues. However, in a surprising move, YouTube has partnered with Discord to provide an official way for users to watch YouTube videos together, also known as a watch party, on Discord. While this feature is still in beta and only available on the Discord Games Lab Server, there is a workaround that allows you to watch YouTube videos on your own Discord server using Discord bots. In this article, we will guide you through the process of watching YouTube together on Discord, both through the official beta feature and using Discord bots.

Watch YouTube Together on Discord

  1. Join the Discord Games Lab server by accepting the invite from the link provided. This server is the official server from Discord where you can access beta features.
  2. Once you're on the server, join any voice channel. Keep in mind that everyone in that voice channel will be able to view the YouTube video you play. To watch a YouTube video with your friends, choose a voice channel that no one else is using.
  3. After joining the voice channel, click on the “Activities” option with the rocket icon in the left sidebar. Please note that this feature is currently in beta and may not be available on your server at the time of reading this article.
  4. A pop-up window will appear with several options. Select the “Watch Together” option from the list.
  5. The first time you use this feature, it will ask for authorization. Once you grant authorization, a simplified version of YouTube will open directly in Discord.
  6. In the YouTube player within Discord, you can search for the YouTube video you want to play or paste the YouTube video link to start playing it immediately. You can also create a playlist by adding videos that you want to play next.
  7. To invite your friends to watch YouTube videos with you, simply click on the “Invite to Activity” button at the bottom. Your friends can open the link, join the server, and start watching YouTube videos together with you.

It's important to note that everyone in the voice channel will have the ability to control the playback, including playing, pausing, skipping, and adding videos to the playlist. However, there are some downsides to using the official beta feature. Since it is a public server, anyone can join your voice channel randomly. Additionally, this feature is not available on all servers, so your friends may need to join a new server just to watch YouTube together. But don't worry, there is a solution to these issues using a Discord bot. With a Discord bot, you can access all these beta features directly on your own server.

How to Watch YouTube Together On Discord on Your Own Server

To use Discord's YouTube Watch Together feature on your own server, you need to install the Activities bot. This bot not only enables Watch Together but also provides access to other features like Poker Night and Chess in the Park.

  1. Visit the Activities bot page and click on the “Invite this Bot” button to add the bot to your server.
  2. Select the server you want to add the bot to and click on “Authorize.”
  3. Once the bot is added, open any text channel on your server and use the command /Activities Channelname Watch Together. The Activities bot will send you a link to open the Watch Together feature in the specified channel.
  4. Share the link with your friends, and they can click on it to join the Watch Together session.

The Activities bot enables all beta features on your server, providing a similar layout to the official beta feature. You can search for YouTube videos, paste YouTube video links, and enjoy all the features available.

How to Use Watch Together on Discord

Once you are on the Watch Together page, here's how you can use Watch Together and take advantage of all its features:

  1. Click on the “Invite” option at the bottom to send an invitation link to your friends to join the Watch Together session.
  2. The Watch Together page has a 3-pane layout, including a search box, a Watch section, and a participants section. You can search for videos using the search box or paste a YouTube video link to start playing videos directly.
  3. To add videos to the queue to play next, click on the plus icon next to the video. Alternatively, you can click on the video itself to start playing it instantly.
  4. The user who started the Watch Together session will have control over the playback. They can play any video, pause it for everyone, skip to the next video, or scrub through the video.
  5. The user with control over the playback can also share the remote control with everyone in the channel by clicking on the three-dot menu under the search option and selecting “Share remote.” Alternatively, they can choose the “Handoff remote” option to give control to someone else in the channel.
  6. By default, Watch Together is a voice call, but you can turn on the camera to watch together while video calling.
  7. If you switch to another channel or server on Discord, the YouTube preview will automatically open in picture-in-picture (PiP) mode. However, please note that PiP mode only works within Discord and will not be available if you switch to another app.
  8. While watching videos in Watch Together, you cannot view them in full-screen mode. However, you can close the search bar and participants section to increase the video screen size.

FAQs

1. Will YouTube Videos Play Ads on Discord?
Yes, ads will play while watching YouTube videos on Discord. However, the ads will play for everyone in the channel simultaneously.

2. Will It Play Ads If You Are a YouTube Premium Subscriber?
Yes, even if you have a YouTube Premium subscription, ads will still play on Discord. Currently, there is no option to log in to YouTube on Discord.

3. Will This Work on the Discord Mobile App?
No, the Watch Together feature, whether on the beta server or with a Discord bot, is not available on the Discord mobile app. To use Watch Together on your smartphone, open Discord in desktop mode through your browser.

4. How Many Participants Can Join Watch Together?
There is no limit to the number of participants who can join Watch Together. If you don't limit the number of participants in the voice channel, anyone can join and watch together with you.

5. Can You Play Just the Audio Version of YouTube Videos?
No, it is not possible to play only the audio version of YouTube videos through Watch Together. However, if you open any channel or server on Discord, the video will play in picture-in-picture (PiP) mode. This allows you to listen to songs without having to be on the Watch Together page.

In conclusion, while the official Watch Together feature on Discord is still in beta, you can enjoy watching YouTube videos together with your friends using Discord bots. Whether you choose the official beta feature or opt for the Activities bot, you can easily create a virtual watch party on your own Discord server. So gather your friends, grab some popcorn, and enjoy watching YouTube together on Discord!