Home is a link away. Make the call feel like a visit.
The Sunday call with your parents runs out of things to say in ten minutes. Not because you've nothing to share, but because there's nothing to do together. Give it something: a game of Ludo, their favourite show, a filter that makes your dad laugh.
Free · Runs in your browser · Updated
How can I spend time with my family when I live abroad?
Turn calls into something you do together. Play a game everyone already knows, like Ludo, watch their favourite show with them, or cook the same family recipe on camera. Couch runs in the browser with no app to install, so a parent can join from their phone by tapping a link.
- tap on a link to join, no app
- 1
- the game every family knows
- Ludo
- friendly, turn sideways to watch
- Phone
Calls home that feel like visits
Pick things they already love. The less there is to learn, the better.
- 01Built into Couch
Sunday Ludo
The game the whole family grew up on, with a shared board and faces on camera.
- 02Built into Couch
Their show, with them
Watch the serial or match they never miss. Share it from your laptop; they watch from their phone.
- 03Keepsake
Family recipe lesson
Mum cooks, you copy, both kitchens on camera. Write it down this time.
- 04Memories
Old photos night
Share a tab with the family album and ask for the story behind each one.
- 05Built into Couch
Filters for the grandkids
Crowns and puppy ears. Grandparents love them more than anyone.
- 06Occasions
Festival together
On the day you can't fly home, keep the room open through the evening.
A Sunday call with something to do
Forty-five minutes, no awkward silences.
- 0:00
Send the link
Same room every week. They tap it on their phone and knock.
- 0:02
News round
Everyone's week, in five minutes.
- 0:10
A game of Ludo
Long enough to talk through, easy enough for anyone.
- 0:35
Snap a moment
A picture of all of you mid-laugh, saved on your device.
- 0:40
Set next week
Agree the day before you hang up. It gives them something to look forward to.
How to set up Couch for your parents
- 1
You start the room
On your laptop, sign in with Google and pick a room. Binge Watch suits shows; Game Room suits Ludo.
- 2
Send the link on WhatsApp
They tap it on their phone and sign in with their Google account once.
- 3
Let them in
They'll knock; you tap Let in. No codes, no meeting IDs.
- 4
You drive
Share the show or open the game from your side. They just watch and play.
Tips that make the difference
- Do the first session together on the phone, step by step. After that it's one tap.
- Pin the room link in your family chat so they always know where to find it.
- Ask them to turn the phone sideways when you share a show. It's much bigger.
- Keep it to one person per room. Couch rooms are for two, so it suits one-to-one time with a parent.
Good to know
- Sharing a tab needs Chrome, Edge, Brave, Opera or Arc on a desktop or laptop.
- Joining, talking, watching and playing work in any browser, phones included.
- Rooms hold two people. Anyone new has to knock first.
Couch vs. the usual workarounds
Each of these can work. Here's where they differ when it's just the two of you.
| Feature | Couch | Meeting app + screen share | Watch-party extension | Counting "3, 2, 1, play" |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| See each other while you watch | Small thumbnails | Mostly text chat | Needs a second device | |
| Stays in sync after pauses | ||||
| Works with any site in a browser tab | Supported sites only | |||
| Games built in | 9 games | |||
| Nothing to install | Usually an app | Extension for both | ||
| Private room for two | Knock to enter | Meeting links | Party links | — |
| Feels like | A night in | A meeting | Watching with a chat box | Two remotes |
Questions people ask
Can my parents join from their phone?
Yes. They tap the link in any phone browser, sign in with Google and they're in. They can talk, play games and watch whatever you share. Sharing a show needs a desktop browser on your side.
Can we play Ludo with video on Couch?
Yes. Ludo is built into every Couch room, so you play on a shared board while seeing each other.
How many family members can join?
A Couch room holds two people. It's made for one-to-one time, like you and a parent, rather than a full family call.
Is it safe for older parents to use?
Nobody can enter your room without knocking, and you decide who comes in. Calls connect directly between your devices whenever possible, are encrypted, and aren't recorded or stored.
Does it cost anything?
No. Couch is free, with no ads and nothing to install.
More ways to use Couch
Tonight, on the same couch.
Pick a room, send the link, press play. Free, in your browser.