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Can You Stream Movies On Twitch? What About Netflix?

Twitch is all about building communities, and what better way to build that community than watching a movie with your chat? But can you watch movies on Twitch or will you be risking your account being taken down?

Can You Stream Movies On Twitch?

You CAN stream movies on Twitch by using Twitch Watch Parties. However besides Twitch Watch Parties, unless you own the copyright to a certain movie or have been given permission by the owner of the copyright to stream the movie, then you may be risking your Twitch account and face other legal issues.

As I am sure you know, almost all movies and shows are copyrighted to help protect the work of the creators.

If you are streaming these shows and movies without permission then you are breaking the law and risk losing your Twitch account and run the risk of having legal action taken against you by those who do own the copyright.

But don’t worry there is some good news!

If you didn’t know already Twitch has something called “Watch Parties” where streamers can watch movies and shows with their viewers through Amazon Prime Video.

In the section below I will go into more detail about how to set these watch parties up so that way you and your viewers can enjoy some movies together.

How To Watch Movies On Twitch

To watch movies on Twitch click your profile icon and go to your creator dashboard. Go to Stream Manager and then click the “+” sign under “Quick Actions” and add “Start Watch Party.” Now, click “Start Watch Party”, connect your Amazon Prime to Twitch, select your movie then click “Start Watch Party.”

For a more detailed breakdown check out these screen shots below.

Click on your profile icon and then go into your creator dashboard.

Profile Icon And Creator Dashboard

Go to your “Stream Manager” and then click on the “+” symbol under “Quick Actions”.

Streamer Manager And “+” Icon

Add “Start Watch Party”.

Add “Start Watch Party”

Click on “Start Watch Party.”

Click “Start Watch Party”

Link your Amazon Prime account with your Twitch Account and then select the movie you want to watch. Once you have the movie selected click “Start Watch Party.”

Start Watch Party Button

Now there are a few things that you need to be aware of before you begin a Watch Party on Twitch.

First off, you must have an Amazon Prime Video account yourself in order to use Twitch Watch Parties. This comes free if you already have Amazon Prime, but without Amazon Prime Video you will be unable to use Twitch Watch Parties.

Secondly, those who will be participating in the Twitch Watch Party with you must also have Amazon Prime Video or Amazon Prime. If they do not then they will be unable to watch your stream during your “Watch Party.”

This goes for everyone regardless of their status in your stream: casual viewers, mods, editors and even VIPS. Anyone who wants to join in must have Amazon Prime Video or Amazon Prime.

Next, certain movies or shows may be available in some regions and not others. What this means is that even if a viewer has Amazon Prime they may still be unable to watch with you because of where they live.

For example, one movie might be available in the United States and not in Mexico and so that person in Mexico would be unable to watch the movie/show on stream with you and visa versa.

What movies and shows are available for Twitch Watch Parties will vary from country to country and region to region, but Twitch does label which movies are most likely to be available in several regions.

Lastly, if you are going to have a Twitch Watch Party then you can only stream the movie or show on Twitch and not on a streaming platform such as Streamlabs or OBS.

This means that you will want to go to your streaming platform, Streamlabs, OBS, etc. and turn off the video and audio for the movie/show that you are about to watch.

You can still use your camera and mic to capture yourself, but you can not capture any part of the movie/show.

Clips and highlights of the movie/show that you are watching are not allowed either. In fact, playing audio or video from the movie/show on your streaming platform could lead to a DMCA strike for your channel.

So with all this being said, are Watch Parties On Twitch Worth It?

Are Twitch Watch Parties Worth It?

If you are using Twitch Watch Parties as a way to strengthen the community in your stream then they are absolutely worth it; however, if you exclusively stream Twitch Watch Parties then it will be hard for your channel to grow since only certain people will be able to join in.

Watch Party Category

Imagine a friend inviting you to a movie night. You may not know everyone who is going, but at least you have a few friends going and so you feel more comfortable and willing to go.

Now imagine going to a movie night that you weren’t invited to and you don’t know anyone there. Would you be likely to go?

And that my friends is how Twitch Watch Parties work. If you are using it as a way to strengthen or build your community then great.

Everyone who goes was invited and they all know each other from your stream and so it’s a good time.

But when you do these streams don’t expect a lot of new people to show up since they were never really invited or part of your stream to begin with.

Not to mention they may not even be able to get into your stream. So Twitch Watch Parties are great community builders, but are not great for growing a stream beyond your normal supporters.

Can You Stream Netflix On Twitch?

You are not allowed to stream Netflix on Twitch. Twitch states that: “Examples of content you should not share on Twitch without permission from the copyright owners or unless otherwise permitted by law include: Movies, television shows, or sports matches.”

Although Netflix does not own the copyright to most of the shows on their platform, they do possess licenses to use the shows and movies on their platform.

So unless you own the copyright to the show or movie you want to stream, or have been given permission to stream a certain show or movie, then there is a good chance your Twitch account will be suspended or banned and that you will be given a DMCA claim.

Most of the subscriptions on Netflix are for personal use only and you having a subscription does not give you the permission to broadcast Netflix to other users.

If you want a list of things that you can and can’t do on Twitch then check out my article here.



For even more streaming tips and how-to content check out my Youtube channel here. And if you want to check out my streams then stop by my Twitch channel here.

Sources

https://help.twitch.tv/s/article/watch-parties#:~:text=Use%20the%20Watch%20Parties%20catalog,browse%20the%20curated%20list%20below.

https://www.twitch.tv/p/en/legal/community-guidelines/

👋 Hey There, I'm Eric!

Since 2018, I've been making streams come true.

I like gaming, streaming and watching other people stream. I created this website to help streamers, viewers, and gamers answer questions they have regarding live streaming, gaming, and PCs. I am a Twitch affiliate and currently stream on Twitch 3 days a week. I also have a Youtube channel where I make videos about streaming. I hope you find my content helpful. Feel free to stop by one of my streams to say hi.