How to Share Your Screen During an Online Meeting

Screen sharing lets other meeting participants see a window, a browser tab or your whole display in real time. The exact button names differ between meeting apps, but the basic process is similar: prepare what you want to show, choose the source, allow any system permission, and confirm that others can see it clearly.

Before you start

Screen sharing is not a purely local process. Your device captures the image, and the meeting service delivers it to other participants. How that stream is routed, encrypted or recorded depends on the service and the meeting settings. If privacy matters, check the service's documentation or your organization's policy rather than assuming.

• You have joined the meeting in the desktop app or in a browser the service supports.
• The host allows participants to share. Many services let the host restrict sharing to hosts or presenters only.
• The file, app or page you want to show is already open, so you do not have to search for it while others watch.
• Unrelated windows, private tabs and documents with sensitive information are closed.
• Notifications are silenced with your system's focus or do not disturb mode, because pop-ups can appear in a full-screen share.
• You know your operating system may ask for permission to capture the screen the first time you share.

Step-by-step instructions

• 1. Join the meeting and open the meeting controls. Look for a button labeled Share, Share screen or Present, often shown as a screen icon with an arrow.
• 2. If the button is missing or greyed out, ask the host to allow sharing or make you a presenter.
• 3. Choose what to share. A single window or app shows only that window. A browser tab shows only that tab. The entire screen shows everything on that display, including notifications and anything you switch to.
• 4. If you have several monitors, pick the correct display from the list of thumbnails.
• 5. If you need to play a video with sound, look for an option to include computer audio or tab audio before you confirm. Whether it appears depends on the app, the browser and the operating system.
• 6. Confirm the selection. If your system asks for screen capture permission, grant it, then restart the meeting app or browser if prompted.
• 7. Look for an indicator that sharing is active, such as a colored border, a banner or a sharing toolbar.
• 8. When you finish, use Stop sharing in the meeting controls or in the browser's sharing bar. Your screen stops being sent, and you stay in the meeting.

Permissions work differently by platform. On macOS, apps need screen recording permission, granted in the Privacy & Security section of System Settings. The app usually has to be reopened before the change takes effect. On Linux desktops that use Wayland, a system dialog usually asks you to pick the screen or window. On Windows, desktop meeting apps typically do not need a separate system permission. Browsers always show their own picker before anything is shared.

Browser-based meetings and desktop apps can offer different options. In browsers, sharing a single tab is often the most reliable way to include sound from that tab. Desktop apps may offer extra choices, such as sharing a portion of the screen or optimizing the share for video playback. If an option described by a colleague is missing, check whether you are using the same type of client.

Check the output

The simplest check is to ask a participant what they see. Confirm that it is the intended window or screen and that the text is readable. Some apps show a small preview of your shared content. Others only show a sharing indicator, so a participant's confirmation is more dependable.

• Readability: small text on a high-resolution display can become hard to read after compression. Zoom in on documents and enlarge the font in code editors.
• Motion: video and fast animations may look choppy or blurry, especially on slower connections. Use a video optimization option if your app offers one.
• Audio: if you shared computer or tab audio, ask someone to confirm they hear it, and keep the volume at a comfortable level.
• Recordings: if the meeting is being recorded, whether and how your share appears depends on the service's recording settings.

Common problems and next steps

• Share button missing or disabled: the host may limit sharing, you may have joined as a guest with restricted rights, or your browser may not support screen sharing for that service. Ask the host, or switch to the desktop app or a supported browser.
• Others see a black screen: on macOS, screen recording permission is usually missing or needs an app restart. Minimized windows and protected video content can also appear black, because many streaming services block capture.
• Others see the wrong monitor: stop sharing and pick the correct display, or share the specific window instead.
• No sound reaches participants: stop and start sharing again with the audio option turned on. If your app or system does not offer computer audio sharing, play the media through a shared browser tab with tab audio enabled.
• Share lags or looks blurry: close other bandwidth-heavy apps, share a single window instead of a large full screen, and consider turning off your camera while presenting.
• Private content appeared on screen: stop sharing immediately. Next time, share a single window or tab rather than the whole screen.
• Sharing from a phone or tablet: some meeting apps support it, but it usually shares the entire device screen, including notifications. Turn on do not disturb before you start.