How to Share Your Screen on Google Meet

Screen sharing in Google Meet lets other participants see your whole display, a single window or one browser tab while the call continues. This guide covers how to start and stop sharing on a computer and on a phone, how to check what participants see, and what to do when sharing does not work.

Before you start

Screen sharing does not run only on your device. When you present, Meet sends the selected screen, window or tab as a video stream through Google's service to everyone in the call. Treat anything visible in the shared area as seen by all participants, and check your organization's policies if you handle sensitive files. Recording and retention depend on the meeting and account settings, so do not assume a shared session is never stored.

• Join the meeting first. The share option appears only inside an active call.
• On a computer, use a current version of a supported browser or the Meet option built into your platform. On a phone or tablet, use the Meet or Gmail app rather than a mobile browser, because mobile browsers may not offer screen sharing.
• Check whether sharing is allowed. A host can turn off screen sharing for participants, and work or school administrators can restrict it for the whole account.
• On macOS, the browser needs the system Screen Recording permission (called Screen & System Audio Recording in recent macOS versions). After granting it, the browser usually has to be restarted.
• Camera permission is separate from screen sharing. Allowing the browser to use your selected camera does not grant screen access, and blocking the camera does not prevent you from presenting.
• Close or minimize windows, tabs and notifications you do not want others to see.

Step-by-step instructions

On a computer

• 1. Join the call in your browser.
• 2. In the toolbar at the bottom of the call window, select the share screen button. It shows a screen with an arrow; older versions of Meet labeled this option Present now.
• 3. Choose what to share: your entire screen, a window, or a tab. The exact options depend on your browser; tab sharing is not available in every browser.
• 4. In the browser's picker, select the specific screen, window or tab, then confirm with Share.
• 5. Meet shows a notice that you are presenting. Continue the call as usual; your camera feed, if on, stays active.
• 6. To finish, select Stop presenting in Meet or Stop sharing in the browser's sharing bar.

Sharing a tab with sound

If you want participants to hear a video or other audio, share a browser tab and make sure the option to also share tab audio is turned on in the picker. This option appears in Chromium-based browsers such as Chrome and Edge. Audio support when sharing a window or the entire screen depends on your browser and operating system, so a tab is the most predictable choice for media with sound.

On Android, iPhone and iPad

• 1. Join the call in the Meet or Gmail app.
• 2. Tap More options (the three-dot menu) and choose Share screen.
• 3. Confirm the system prompt. On Android this is usually Start now; on iPhone and iPad you start a broadcast.
• 4. Everything on your screen is shared, including notifications, so turn on Do Not Disturb if needed.
• 5. Return to the Meet app and tap Stop sharing when you are done.

Menu labels can differ slightly between app and browser versions. If an option is not where described, look for a share or present icon in the call controls.

Check the output

After you start presenting, Meet shows your shared content as a tile or preview in your own view. Confirm that it shows the window or tab you intended, not a different one. The most reliable check is to ask a participant what they see and whether text is readable.

• Readability: shared content is compressed and its resolution can drop with a slow connection or a large display. Increase the zoom or font size of documents and code before sharing.
• Motion: video and animations may play at a lower frame rate than on your own screen. For playback, sharing a tab usually works better than sharing the entire screen.
• Mirror effect: if you share your entire screen while the Meet window is visible, participants may see a repeating image of the call. Share a specific window or tab instead, or move Meet to another display.
• Audio: if you shared a tab with sound, ask a participant to confirm they can hear it at a reasonable level.

Common problems and next steps

The share button is missing or unavailable

The host may have disabled screen sharing for participants, or your administrator may block it. Ask the host to allow sharing. If you joined from a mobile browser, switch to the Meet app or a computer.

Participants see a black or empty screen

On macOS, this usually means the browser lacks the Screen Recording permission. Grant it in Privacy & Security system settings, quit the browser completely, reopen it and rejoin the call. Some apps with protected content, such as certain video players, can also appear black when shared.

There is no sound from the shared video

Stop presenting, then share again as a tab with the tab audio option enabled. Check that the tab itself is not muted in the browser.

Sharing is slow or blurry

Close unused tabs and apps, share a single window or tab instead of the full screen, and switch off your camera if your connection is weak. If quality stays poor, the limit is usually your network rather than Meet settings.

Your camera stopped working while presenting

Screen sharing does not replace your camera feed. If your video disappears, open the Meet settings, confirm the selected camera, and check that the browser still has camera permission.