Join hundreds of racers just like you! We love to help answer questions and race together.

How to Join Friends Session in Iracing

Learn how to join friends session in iRacing. Clear steps for hosted, league, official, or spectate. For iRacing drivers who want to fix this fast and race now.

If you’re stuck on how to join friends session in iracing, here’s the short answer: join their Hosted or League event directly, or register for the same official time slot together. Below are the exact clicks and the common blockers so you can get on track with your friend quickly.

Quick Answer: how to join friends session in iracing

Use the iRacing UI. For Hosted/League, find the session under Go Racing and click Register/Join (use the password if needed). For official races, both of you register for the same series and time slot at the same time. You can also click Watch/Spot from your Friends list to spectate.

What’s Really Going On

iRacing has three common places your friend might be: Hosted, Leagues, or Official sessions. Hosted and League sessions are easy—join directly if you have the car/track and the password (if it’s locked). Official sessions use matchmaking, so you can’t always force the same split. Joining at the same time improves your chances; otherwise, spectating or hosting your own session is the sure thing.

Step-by-Step Fix

Open the iRacing UI and sign in. Check the Friends panel (usually top/right). If your friend is in a session, you’ll often see Watch or Spot.
Hosted session: Go Racing > Hosted. Search for the session name, filter by friends (if available), or use “Password-protected” and enter the password. Click Register, then Join when the button appears.
League session: Go Racing > Leagues > My Leagues. Pick the league, open the current event, and click Register/Join. If you’re not in the league, your friend must invite you first.
Official session (to race together): Go Racing > Official Series. Choose the same series, week, and time slot. Both click Register at the same time. When the Join/Launch button appears, enter. If you land in different splits, back out and try a lower-population slot or create a Hosted session.
Spectate or spot: From the Friends list, click your friend and choose Watch or Spot. This is instant and doesn’t require you to own the content to view or spot.
If the Join button is greyed out: you likely miss required content (car/track), don’t meet license requirements, or the registration window isn’t open yet. Fix the blocker, then try again.

Extra Tips / Checklist

Content check: To drive, you must own the car and track. For spectating/spotting, you can usually join without owning them.
License gates: Some series require a minimum license. SR (Safety Rating) affects license promotions; iRating (skill number) affects split placement.
Password typos: For Hosted sessions, confirm the exact password and uppercase/lowercase.
Timing matters: For official sessions, registering together at quieter times increases the chance of the same split.
Voice comms: Use Discord or in-sim voice so you can coordinate registration and restarts.

FAQs

Can I guarantee the same split in an official race? No. iRacing assigns splits by iRating and other factors. Registering at the same time helps, but the only guarantee is a Hosted or League session.
Why can’t I see my friend’s Hosted session? It may be private or password-protected, filtered out in your list, or you’re missing the car/track. Clear filters, check “Password-protected,” and confirm the content.
Do I need to own the track/car to join? To drive, yes. To Watch/Spot, you can typically join without owning them.
Where do I find the Watch/Spot button? In the iRacing UI, open your Friends panel or your friend’s profile. If they’re in a session, you’ll see Watch or Spot next to their name.

Quick Wrap-Up

To join your friend fast: Hosted/League is direct, official requires timing, and Watch/Spot works instantly. If splits keep you apart, spin up a quick Hosted session and go racing together.