If you've been sent a link to watch a funeral online, you might be wondering how it works, especially if you don't use streaming or video calls very often. The good news is that it's usually very simple. This guide explains how to watch on any device, what to do if something goes wrong, and how to watch again later.
Before the day
- Find the link. The family or the streaming company will usually send it by text, email or WhatsApp. Save it somewhere easy to find, or ask someone to send it to you again on the day.
- Test it the day before. Open the link to check it works on your device. You'll usually see a holding page until the stream starts.
- Charge your device, or keep it plugged in. A funeral service can last an hour or more.
- Check the time zone if you're abroad. The service time will usually be UK time.
Watching on a phone or tablet
Just tap the link and it should open in your web browser. With most professional funeral streams, including ours, there's no app to download and no account to create. Turn your phone sideways for a bigger picture, and turn up the volume.
Watching on a laptop or computer
Click the link, and the stream will open in your browser. Use the full-screen button (usually a small square in the corner of the video) for the best view.
Watching on your TV
Watching on a big screen is a lovely way for family to gather and watch together at home. There are three easy ways:
- Use your smart TV's web browser and type in the link.
- Cast from your phone using Chromecast, or AirPlay if you have an iPhone and an Apple TV or AirPlay-compatible TV.
- Connect a laptop to the TV with an HDMI cable.
Try it the day before, so you're not working it out at the last minute.
On the day
- Join a little early. With our streams, the stream usually goes live around 25 minutes before the service, often with photos of your loved one or a gentle holding screen, so you can settle in.
- Nobody can see or hear you. A funeral live stream is a one-way broadcast, so you can watch quietly at home, just as you would sitting in the church.
- Find a quiet spot where you won't be disturbed, and perhaps have a tissue to hand.
If the stream won't play
- Refresh the page, or close it and tap the link again.
- Check your internet. Wi-Fi is usually more reliable than mobile data.
- Try another browser, such as Chrome or Safari.
- Restart your device if nothing else works.
- Don't panic if you miss part of it. The service is usually recorded, so you can watch it again afterwards.
Watching again later
Many families keep the recording online after the service, so anyone who missed it, or wants to watch again, can do so. With our streams, the recording stays online for 12 months, using the same link. That's especially helpful for relatives in different time zones.
Where is the funeral streaming?
A funeral live stream is usually on a private web page, not on a public site like YouTube or Facebook, so you won't find it by searching. You need the link from the family or the streaming company. If you can't find it, ask a family member or the funeral director to send it again.
How to rewatch a funeral live stream
Just open the same link you used to watch live. If the recording has been kept online, it will play from the beginning, and you can pause, rewind or skip to the part you'd like to see again. With our streams, the recording stays online for 12 months.
Arranging a funeral live stream?
If you're planning a funeral and want relatives near and far to be able to watch, I'm Darren, and I've streamed funerals across the UK since 2017, including from rural churches with no Wi-Fi or mobile signal. You can find out more on my funeral live streaming page, or just send me a text.