Questions about Walnut

Short answers about Walnut (easywalnut.com): what it is, what it costs, what works where, and how to get help.

About Walnut

What is Walnut?

Walnut is a free app for watching things together with friends online. Each room, called a Walnut, is built around one big shared screen: a shared browser, a video in sync, or someone’s shared screen, with voice chat, room chat and reactions around it.

Is Walnut the same as easywalnut?

Yes. easywalnut.com is Walnut’s address, so you may see it called easywalnut or EasyWalnut. It’s the same app.

Is Walnut free?

Yes. Walnut is free on the web and for Windows.

Do my friends need to install anything?

No. Everyone can join from a browser at easywalnut.com, signed in with their own free account. Walnut for Windows is optional.

Which devices does Walnut work on?

Walnut runs in Chrome, Edge, Firefox and Safari on Windows, macOS, Linux and ChromeOS, and in the browser on phones and tablets. Walnut for Windows is an app for 64-bit Windows. There’s no Mac, iPhone or Android app yet.

How many people can be in a Walnut?

Up to 16, including you. The owner can set a lower limit.

Watching together

Can we watch YouTube together?

Yes. Paste a YouTube link and everyone’s player plays it in sync, or open YouTube on the room’s TV and browse together, with ads blocked. More

Can we watch Netflix, Disney+ or other streaming services?

Not inside Walnut. Those services protect their video with DRM, which shows as a black picture in any shared browser or screen share. Walnut tells you when a site can’t be shared. To watch them together, use a tool that syncs each person’s own account. More

Does Walnut block ads?

Yes, on the room’s TV. It blocks ads and trackers for everyone with uBlock Origin’s and EasyList’s filter lists, refreshed daily.

What is the TV?

The room’s own web browser, which everyone in the Walnut sees. The owner or a manager presses Start, it opens on Google, and whoever holds the remote drives it. It runs on the owner’s PC when they use Walnut for Windows, and in the cloud otherwise.

Screen sharing

Can I share my screen with sound?

Yes. In Chrome and Edge you can share a browser tab with its sound, and Walnut for Windows shares any screen or window with sound. Firefox and Safari share a window or screen without sound. Phones and tablets can’t share a screen. More

Can a friend control my screen?

In Walnut for Windows, yes, if you allow it: they ask, you answer, and Ctrl+Alt+Backspace takes control back at once.

Who sees what I share?

Only the people in your Walnut. In Walnut for Windows, Walnut’s own window stays out of a whole-screen share.

Walnut for Windows

What does Walnut for Windows add?

The room’s TV on your own PC and connection, screen sharing with sound, handing over the remote, a Mini Walnut window that stays on top, taskbar controls, notifications and walnut:// links. More

Windows said “Windows protected your PC” when I ran the installer. What do I do?

The installer is new to Microsoft SmartScreen, which warns about apps it hasn’t seen often. Choose “More info”, then “Run anyway”. Download the installer only from easywalnut.com/download.

Rooms, privacy and help

How long does a Walnut last?

Until 24 hours after the last person leaves; then it closes by itself. Your friends and messages stay.

Who can join my Walnut?

You decide: invite-only, anyone with the room’s code, or your friends. You can also add a password or lock the room, and choose what each person may do.

How do I delete my account or ask about my data?

Email [email protected] from the address on your account.

How do I get help or report a bug?

Email [email protected].