Watch Fullscreen Without Losing Chat
Going fullscreen means giving up chat, and keeping chat means watching in a smaller window. Previews adds a button to the player controls that does both - fullscreen video with chat still on screen, on Twitch, YouTube, and Kick.
How do I see chat while watching Twitch in fullscreen?
Twitch's native fullscreen hides chat completely. Previews adds a Full Screen + Chat button to the player controls that expands the video to fill the screen while keeping chat docked beside it. One click in, one click out, and no separate popout window to manage.
The usual workarounds are all compromises. Theater mode keeps chat but leaves browser chrome and the page around the player. Popping chat out into its own window means juggling two windows and losing it every time you switch channels. Neither gives you the thing people actually want, which is the stream filling the screen with chat still readable next to it.
Where is the button?
In the player controls, next to the other Previews buttons. Enable Full Screen + Chat Button in the Player Controls section of the settings panel, refresh the tab, and it appears alongside the native fullscreen control. The keyboard shortcut is customizable from the same row.
- Install Previews from the Chrome Web Store, Firefox Add-ons, or Edge Add-ons.
- Click the Previews icon in your browser's toolbar.
- Switch to the platform you want with the Twitch / YouTube / Kick tabs at the top.
- In Player Controls, enable Full Screen + Chat Button (called Theater / Full Screen + Chat Button on YouTube and Kick).
- Refresh the tab. The button sits in the player controls.
Does it work on YouTube and Kick too?
Yes. On YouTube and Kick the same feature is called Theater / Full Screen + Chat Button and behaves the same way, keeping live chat on screen while the video fills the rest. Each platform has its own toggle, so you can run it on some and not others.
Support differs slightly for embedded players. On Twitch and Kick the button can be enabled in embeds as well as the main player. On YouTube it is main player only, and it does not apply to Shorts.
| Platform | Main player | Embeds | Setting name |
|---|---|---|---|
| Twitch | Yes | Yes | Full Screen + Chat Button |
| YouTube | Yes | No | Theater / Full Screen + Chat Button |
| Kick | Yes | Yes | Theater / Full Screen + Chat Button |
Why not just install a fullscreen-chat extension?
You can, but every one of them is single-platform and single-purpose. Previews covers Twitch, YouTube and Kick with one install, and the button sits in the same control bar as picture-in-picture, screenshot, recording and FlashBang Defender rather than in a separate extension's UI.
- Picture-in-Picture - the opposite move: pop the stream into a floating window that stays on top of other apps.
- FlashBang Defender - dim the player when a streamer blasts a white screen, which matters more in fullscreen.
- Screenshot and Record - capture what just happened without leaving fullscreen.
- Playback Speed Controls - speed up or slow down from the same control bar.
Frequently asked questions
Can you see Twitch chat in fullscreen?
Not with Twitch's built-in fullscreen, which hides chat entirely. Previews adds a Full Screen + Chat button to the player controls that keeps chat on screen while the video fills the display.
Can I still type in chat?
Yes. Chat stays fully interactive - you can read and send messages without leaving fullscreen. Voice Typing works there too if you would rather not type.
Does it work on YouTube live streams?
Yes, on the main YouTube player. The setting is called Theater / Full Screen + Chat Button. It does not apply to Shorts or to embedded YouTube players.
Is there a keyboard shortcut?
Yes, and it is customizable. Look for the small keyboard icon next to the feature's row in the Previews settings panel to set your own binding.
Does it work on Firefox?
Yes. Previews is available on Chrome, Firefox, Edge, and Chromium browsers such as Brave and Opera.