Use SharePlay to watch and listen together in FaceTime on iPad

With SharePlay in the FaceTime app (iPadOS 15.1 or later), you can stream TV shows, movies, and music in sync with friends and family while on a FaceTime call together. Enjoy a real-time connection with everyone on the call—with synced playback and shared controls, you all see and hear the same moments at the same time. With Smart Volume, media audio is adjusted automatically, so you can continue to chat while watching or listening.

Note: Some apps that support SharePlay require a subscription. To watch a movie or TV show together, every participant needs to have access to the content on their own device, through either a subscription or purchase. SharePlay may not support the sharing of some movies or TV shows across different countries or regions. FaceTime, some FaceTime features, and other Apple services may not be available in all countries or regions.

Watch video together while on a FaceTime call

You can watch movies and TV shows during a FaceTime call with your friends and family.

A FaceTime call, showing Apple TV+ video content being shared in the call. The FaceTime controls are shown at the top of the screen, the video is playing just below the controls, and the playback controls are at the bottom of the screen.

Start a FaceTime call.
Go to the Home Screen, then open a video streaming app that supports SharePlay (for example, the Apple TV app ).
Select a show or movie you want to watch, tap the Play button, then select Play for Everyone (if it appears) to begin watching with everyone on the call. (Others on the call may have to tap Join SharePlay to see the video.)
For everyone on the call who has access to the content, the video starts playing at the same time. People who don’t have access are asked to get access (through a subscription, a transaction, or a free trial, if available).

Each person watching the content can use the playback controls to play, pause, rewind or fast-forward. (Settings like closed captioning and volume are controlled separately by each person.)

You can use Picture in Picture to keep watching the video while using another app—order food, check your email, or jump into the Messages app and discuss the video by text when you want no interruptions to the sound of the movie or TV show.

Invite friends to watch video together on FaceTime from a supported app

With iPadOS 15.4 or later, you can start a FaceTime call in the Apple TV app (or other supported video app) while you’re browsing or watching video content, and share the item in sync with others using SharePlay. Everyone on the call needs to have access to the content on their own device (for example, through a subscription or purchase).

In the Apple TV app (or other supported video app), find a show or movie you want to share, then tap the item to see its details.
Tap , then tap SharePlay.
In the To field, enter the contacts you want to share with, then tap FaceTime.
When the FaceTime call connects, tap Start or Play to begin using SharePlay.
The recipients tap Open to begin viewing.

Note: If the content requires a subscription, people who aren’t subscribers can subscribe before watching.

After the video starts playing, you can stream it to Apple TV. See Send what you’re watching in SharePlay to Apple TV.

Send what you’re watching in SharePlay to Apple TV

If you’ve already started watching a video together on iPad, you can send it to Apple TV to enjoy on the big screen.

On iPad, do one of the following:

In the streaming app, tap , then choose Apple TV as the playback destination.
Open Control Center, tap , then choose Apple TV as the playback destination.

The video plays in sync on Apple TV, and you can keep the conversation going on your iPad.

See Watch together using SharePlay in the Apple TV User Guide.

Listen to music together while on a FaceTime call

Using SharePlay (iPadOS 15.1 or later), you can get together and listen to an album or favorite playlist with others on a FaceTime call. Anyone on the call who has access to the music (for example, through a subscription, a transaction, or a free trial) can listen along, see what’s next, add songs to a shared queue, and more.

A FaceTime call, showing audio content from Apple Music being shared in the call. The album cover is pictured in the top half of the screen, and the title and audio controls are just below it.

Start a Group FaceTime call.
Go to the Home Screen, then open a music streaming app that supports SharePlay (for example, the Music app ).
Select the music you want to listen to, then tap the Play button to begin listening to the music together. (Others on the call may have to tap Join SharePlay to hear the music.)
For everyone on the call who has access to the content, the music starts playing at the same time. People who don’t have access are asked to get access (through a subscription, a transaction, or a free trial, if available).

Each person can use the music controls to pause, rewind, fast-forward, scrub to a different part of the song, or go to the next track. And anyone on the call can add songs to the shared queue.

Invite friends to listen to music together on FaceTime from a supported app

With iPadOS 15.4 or later, you can start a FaceTime call in the Music app (or other supported music app) and use SharePlay to share the music in sync with others on the call. Each person can use the music controls to pause, rewind, fast-forward, or scrub to a different part of the song. And anyone using SharePlay can add songs to the shared queue. Everyone on the call must have access to the content (for example through a subscription.)

Open the Music app (or other supported music app), then tap the music you want to share.
Do one of the following:
- Tap next to the music, then tap SharePlay.
- Tap at the top right, tap , then tap SharePlay.
In the To field, enter the contacts you want to share with, then tap FaceTime.
When the FaceTime call connects, tap Start.
To begin listening, recipients tap the song title at the top of the FaceTime controls, then tap Open. The music starts playing at the same time for everyone on the call who has access to the content.

Note: Every participant needs to have access to the content on their own device. either through a subscription or a purchase. People who don’t have access to the content you share are asked to get access.

With SharePlay, you can also share your screen to show apps, webpages, and more during the conversation. See Share your screen in a FaceTime call.

SharePlay also lets you work out with others using Apple Fitness+. See Work out together using SharePlay.

Helpful?

iPad User Guide