Why is Disney+ black when I screen share it?

Disney+ protects its video with DRM, so the browser gives screen-sharing tools (Discord, Google Meet, Zoom) a black frame instead of the film. The usual fix is for each person to play Disney+ on their own account and use a sync extension, so nothing has to be shared.

Do both people need a Disney+ subscription to watch together?

Yes, with every method that keeps the picture sharp: each of you plays Disney+ yourself. The title also has to be available in both your countries.

Guide · Disney+

How to watch Disney+ together long distance (now that GroupWatch is gone)

Q: Does Disney+ still have GroupWatch?

No. GroupWatch disappeared from Disney+ on 18 September 2023, without an announcement, and it has not come back. Couples now use a call with a countdown, or a browser extension that keeps two players in sync.

Disney+ quietly removed GroupWatch, its built-in watch-together feature, on 18 September 2023. If you're looking for it, that's why you can't find it. Here's what still works for two people in different places.

1. A countdown on a call

Both of you open the same title, get on a call, and press play on three. It's free and works on TVs and phones. It drifts over a long film, and every pause means another countdown. Wear headphones so you don't hear each other's audio a beat late.

2. Screen sharing (and why Disney+ goes black)

Disney+ protects its video with DRM. When Discord, Google Meet or Zoom asks the browser for the picture, it gets a black frame. That's the service working as designed, not your settings. Screen sharing is fine for YouTube and free sites, but not for Disney+.

3. A sync extension: each of you plays your own Disney+

This is the closest thing to GroupWatch now. Each of you plays Disney+ on your own account, at full quality, and a browser extension keeps play, pause and skip in step. Nothing is shared, so nothing goes black. Teleparty, SyncUp and Herae all work this way. The catch for all of them: each of you needs Disney+, and the title has to be available in both your countries.

Herae on Disney+: Herae syncs the video player on the page, which is how it works on Disney+ and almost any other site. It's made for two people: a video call is built in, your partner can join from your link, and the night is kept as moments on your timeline. It's young software, so if anything doesn't stay in sync on Disney+, email support@herae.app and we'll fix it.

What GroupWatch did that you might miss

Reactions. GroupWatch had emoji reactions. With an extension you get a text chat or, in Herae, a live video call instead.
TVs and consoles. GroupWatch worked on TV apps. Extensions need a browser on a computer, so on a TV the countdown is still the answer.
Group size. GroupWatch allowed up to seven people. Herae is built for two (it also works for a few friends).

Try Herae for your next Disney+ night

Install it, open Disney+, and send your person a link. Your first two movie nights are free, however long they run. Needs Chrome on a computer.

Add to Chrome — free

Questions people ask

Does Disney+ still have GroupWatch?

No. It disappeared on 18 September 2023 and hasn't come back.

Why is Disney+ black on Discord?

DRM: the browser won't hand the picture to screen-capture tools. More in why streaming goes black on Discord.

Can we watch Disney+ together if we're in different countries?

Only titles available in both countries. Sync tools keep your own players together; they can't add a title to a country's catalogue.

What should we watch?

Our list of 25 movies for long-distance couples has plenty of Disney and Pixar picks, like Up.

GroupWatch's removal date as reported by What's On Disney Plus and GamesRadar+. We make Herae.