Teleparty, formerly Netflix Party, makes it easy to host virtual watch parties with your friends and chat about the TV shows or movies you’re watching. But can you hide the Teleparty chat? 

You can easily hide the Teleparty chat sidebar at any point in your watch party by clicking the Tp icon on your toolbar, then deselecting the “Show chat” option. 

The Teleparty extension for Chrome and Microsoft Edge is very user-friendly. Keep reading to learn about Teleparty’s chat option and discover how to get the most from your watch party.

How to Hide the Teleparty Chat

If you’ve never used Teleparty before, start by reading the ultimate guide to Teleparty. Once you know the basics, hiding the Teleparty chat couldn’t be easier. Just follow these steps:

  • Pull up the show or movie you’d like to watchClick the Tp icon and select “Start the party”Or, to join the party, follow the link from your host, then click the Tp icon to joinClick the Tp icon again and toggle the “show chat” switch off to hide the chat

The chat sidebar will then be hidden so you can watch your show or movie without getting distracted by your friends in the chat. 

However, remember that even though you can’t see that chat, it’s still there. When the chat is hidden, you will not be notified about any new chats being sent. 

It’s a handy feature if you want to focus on the show or movie without distractions, but when you reopen the chat, you may find that you’ve missed out on the conversation. 

It’s up to you to decide when you want to see the chat, and luckily, Teleparty makes it simple to change your mind back and forth (and back again). Who knew your friends were so chatty? 

How to Show the Teleparty Chat

If the Teleparty chat sidebar is hidden, but you want to get back into the conversation, it’s just as easy to get it to show up again.

Simply click the Tp icon on your browser’s toolbar and toggle the “show chat” switch back on. The “show chat” option will be green when the chat sidebar is visible. 

When it’s off, it will be gray.

Does Teleparty Have Other Features?

Teleparty’s main draw is the ability to watch movies and shows with friends in sync across different devices with a convenient chat feature. 

At the moment, Teleparty does not offer a video or voice chat option and can not be used on mobile devices like phones and iPads. 

However, many streaming services like Hulu and Disney+ have watch-party features of their own that allow users to watch movies and shows in sync from any device. 

Teleparty is certainly not the only option for hosting virtual watch parties, but it is convenient because it works with most big streaming services. 

Can a Host Disable Teleparty Chat?

There is no way to completely disable the Teleparty chat, even if you’re the host. Each member of a watch party can show and hide the chat sidebar as they wish. 

What Can a Teleparty Host Do?

As a Teleparty host, you can host watch parties for your friends and family to watch shows or movies from any of these streaming services:

If every member of your party has an account with your streaming service of choice and has the Teleparty extension downloaded, all you need to do as the host is send your guests the invite link.

A host can also choose to enable the “only I have control” feature, which allows only the host to play, pause, and rewind the show or movie rather than every party member. 

The Teleparty Chat is not Showing

Teleparty, like most web extensions, is regularly updated to fix common problems and bugs. If you run into an issue, other users have also run into it.

If the TeleParty chat isn’t showing up even after toggling it on and off, try uninstalling and redownloading the Teleparty web extension. 

It’s a bit inconvenient, but it’s your best bet. The latest version of the extension will likely include a bug fix that solves any issues you run into, including, but not limited to, problems with the chat. 

Be aware, however, that there are imposters out there. Before downloading any extensions, read this article on how to use Teleparty safely, and look out for scams designed to track your activity.

Conclusion

The Teleparty chat makes it easy to chat with your friends during your virtual watch party, and it’s just as easy to hide the chat sidebar if you find it distracting. Try it out and see what you like!