How to Share Your iPhone Screen During a Call

There are two ways to share your iPhone screen during a call. FaceTime has screen sharing built in. Third-party meeting apps usually rely on the iOS broadcast feature, which streams your whole screen through that app. This guide explains how to start sharing, how to confirm the other person can see your screen, and what to try when it does not work.

Before you start

• Make sure your iPhone is updated. FaceTime screen sharing arrived in iOS 15.1, and some features described below need newer versions.
• If you use FaceTime, the other people on the call need Apple devices with compatible software. This is the simplest option for sharing between two iPhones.
• If you use a meeting app such as Zoom, Microsoft Teams or Webex, install its current version from the App Store. Its screen sharing option relies on the iOS broadcast feature.
• Use a stable Wi-Fi or cellular connection. Screen sharing streams video continuously, and on cellular it uses mobile data.

Screen sharing is not a local process. Your screen is captured on the phone, then sent through FaceTime or the meeting app's service to the other people on the call. How that video is handled, encrypted or stored depends on the service you use. Check its privacy documentation if this matters for your situation; this guide does not assume any particular handling.

Before sharing, close any apps, messages or documents you do not want others to see. It also helps to turn on Do Not Disturb or a Focus mode so that notifications do not appear on the shared screen.

Step-by-step instructions

Share your screen in FaceTime

• Start or join a FaceTime call.
• If the call controls are hidden, tap the screen to show them.
• Tap the Share Content button in the call controls. Its icon shows a person in front of a rectangle.
• Tap Share My Screen. A short countdown appears, and then sharing begins.
• Open the app or screen you want to show. The other participants see your screen until you stop.
• To stop sharing, tap the Share Content button again.

In iOS 18 and later, the person viewing your shared screen can point to or draw on items on your screen. They can also ask to control your iPhone remotely. Remote control starts only after you approve the request, and you can end it at any time. Only approve requests from people you trust.

Share your screen from Zoom, Teams or another meeting app

• Join the meeting in the app.
• Find the app's sharing option and choose to share your screen. The label differs from app to app.
• The iOS broadcast panel opens. Check that the meeting app is selected as the destination.
• Tap Start Broadcast. Sharing begins after a short countdown.
• Switch to the content you want to show. The app keeps broadcasting in the background.
• To stop, return to the meeting app and end sharing. You can also open Control Center and stop the broadcast from there.

You can also start a broadcast from Control Center. Touch and hold the Screen Recording control, choose the meeting app from the list, then tap Start Broadcast. This works only if the app supports broadcasting and the Screen Recording control has been added to Control Center.

Check the output

While sharing is active, iOS shows an indicator. In FaceTime, the Share Content button stays highlighted. During a broadcast, a recording indicator appears in the status bar or the Dynamic Island. If you do not see an indicator, sharing has probably not started.

The most reliable check is to ask the other person what they see. Open a simple screen, such as your Home Screen, and confirm they can see it before you move to anything detailed. Shared video quality depends on both connections and on the service, so small text may look blurry or appear with a delay. Zooming in on important details usually helps.

Some content cannot be shared. Many streaming and subscription video apps block screen capture. In those apps, viewers may see a black area or nothing at all, even though the content plays normally on your iPhone.

Common problems and next steps

• Share Content button missing in FaceTime: update the iPhone and ask the other participants to update their devices too. Screen sharing requires compatible software on everyone's device.
• Screen Recording control missing from Control Center: add it through the Control Center customization options. In iOS 18 and later, you edit Control Center directly. In earlier versions, you use the Control Center section of Settings.
• The meeting app does not appear in the broadcast list: update the app and confirm that its version supports screen sharing on iPhone. Then reopen the broadcast panel.
• Screen recording or broadcasting is blocked: Screen Time restrictions or a device management profile from a school or employer may disable it. Check those settings, or ask whoever manages the device.
• Viewers see a black screen: the app you are showing probably blocks capture. Show different content, or describe what is on screen instead.
• Sharing freezes or drops: move to a stronger connection. Close apps you do not need, then start sharing again.

For sharing between two iPhones, FaceTime is usually the most direct method because it needs no extra app. If your contacts use other devices, or your organization requires a specific platform, use that meeting app's broadcast option instead.