Out of the many spectacular features that were introduced in WWDC 2021, one feature that has especially got users interested is the SharePlay feature. This feature will enhance your FaceTime experience for the simple reason that it won’t just be a call anymore. Let’s dive deeper into this wonderful feature.
What is SharePlay?
SharePlay is the latest feature in iOS 15 (iPhone and iPad), more specifically iOS 15.1 that helps people share activities on a FaceTime call such as listening to music or watching movies. This way all the participants can enjoy the movie streaming. Not just music and videos but you can also share your complete screen. The feature is set to arrive on Mac later this fall.
SharePlay Prerequisites
There are certain things that you might want to ensure before initiating SharePlay on a FaceTime call.
- Your iPhone must be updated to iOS 15.1
- The other person with whom you want to FaceTime using SharePlay should also have iOS 15.1
- You can share the below-listed apps. However soon SharePlay will be introduced to other apps as well
Apps That Support SharePlay
You must be wondering if you can share Netflix series with your friends for a binge-watch session. As of now, SharePlay hasn’t been extended to Netflix but soon it will be. However, as per Apple SharePlay supports the following services –
- Apple TV+
- Disney+
- Apple Music
- ESPN+
- Apple Fitness +
- HBO Max
- Paramount+
- Hulu
- PlutoTV
- Masterclass
- SoundCloud
Even if an app or content you want to share doesn’t have SharePlay support, you can choose to share the entire screen which should work as a great workaround in most cases.
How To Use or Turn On SharePlay In iOS 15
Let’s get down to how you can use SharePlay on your iPhone and iPad. To begin with, you will have to enable SharePlay in the app you are using. Here we are going to take the example of FaceTime –
1. First, head to the FaceTime settings and turn the SharePlay slider on (if it hasn’t been done yet). Here you can also select apps for which you want to use SharePlay
2. Tap on the FaceTime icon
3. Tap on New FaceTime and select a contact that you want to call
4. Tap on the FaceTime button in green
5. During your FaceTime call session swipe up and tap open one of the above-mentioned apps that support the SharePlay feature
6. Choose a movie or TV show and press play
7. You will now receive a subsequent pop-up menu where you click on the SharePlay to start the movie or any other media such as a song
8. You can choose to Start Only for me or SharePlay which will play the media for all the participants
9. After you initiate SharePlay the other person will get a prompt to join
10. You can also tap on the button on the top right corner of the screen to share the entire screen as well
It is important to note that the controls are shared by everyone present on the call, including the host. This means that all the participants can play, pause, rewind and fast forward. Although settings like volume and close captions will be activated on the host’s device.
How To End SharePlay
To end SharePlay in your FaceTime, go back to the FaceTime app – you can see the shortcut with a green or purple icon appearing at the top left corner of the screen. Once there, tap on End SharePlay. Now, you can choose to end SharePlay for yourself by tapping on End Only for Me or you can choose to end the SharePlay session for everyone by tapping on the End for Everyone option.
Wrapping Up
SharePlay indeed is a great feature with the help of which you can synchronize your app experience with your loved ones. With that if you enjoyed what you read and if you found the blog to be helpful, do let us know in the comments section below. Also share it with all your friends, family, and everyone you care for. For more such content keep reading Tweak Library.
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