How to Share Your Screen with TeamViewer

TeamViewer lets another person see your screen, and if you allow it, control your computer from their own device. This guide covers the most common case. You run TeamViewer, give your connection details to someone you trust, and they connect to view your desktop. Labels and layouts differ between TeamViewer versions and editions, so match the steps to what your app shows.

Before you start

Screen sharing in TeamViewer is not a purely local process. Both computers need an internet connection, and the connection is set up through TeamViewer's service. Read TeamViewer's current documentation and your organization's policy on how session data is routed and handled, rather than assuming it stays on your network.

• TeamViewer installed on both devices, or a one-time support module on the computer being shared, if the person helping you provides one.
• Versions that can connect to each other. Updating both sides to a current release avoids most compatibility messages.
• A licence that fits your use. The free version is intended for personal, non-commercial use only. Business use requires a paid plan.
• On macOS, permission for TeamViewer to record the screen. If you want the other person to control the mouse and keyboard, it also needs Accessibility permission. Both are granted in the system's Privacy & Security settings.
• A way to send your ID and password privately, such as a phone call or a message to someone you know.

Close windows, documents and notifications you do not want to show. The other person sees everything on the shared display, including pop-ups that appear during the session.

Step-by-step instructions

The order below assumes you are the person sharing your screen. The person viewing it starts the connection from their side.

• 1. Open TeamViewer on the computer whose screen you want to share and wait until it shows that it is ready to connect.
• 2. Find your TeamViewer ID and password. The section showing them may be labelled differently depending on your version.
• 3. Send the ID and password only to the person who should see your screen.
• 4. On their device, they enter your ID in the partner or remote ID field, choose a remote control connection, and connect.
• 5. When prompted, they enter the password you gave them. Depending on your settings, you may also need to confirm the incoming connection on your screen.
• 6. Once connected, your desktop appears in a window on their device, and a small TeamViewer panel usually appears on your screen to show that a session is active.
• 7. To stop sharing, close the session from the panel on your computer, or let the other person disconnect from their side.

Some settings deserve attention. TeamViewer can generate a new random password for later sessions, so a password you shared earlier may stop working. That is useful if you only want to share once. If you want the other person to watch without controlling your computer, look for access control options in your version's settings, and confirm they apply before you connect. If you use several monitors, the remote session usually lets the viewer switch between displays, so check which one they are actually seeing.

For TeamViewer meetings or presentations to a group instead of one-to-one remote control, check what your current version and licence offer. Meeting features have changed over time and may be packaged separately.

Check the output

Ask the other person to describe what they see, for example which window is in front. This confirms they are viewing the correct display and not a black or frozen image. Move a window or open a menu and check that the change reaches them. If they should only watch, ask them to try clicking and confirm that nothing happens on your computer.

Image quality depends on the connection speed on both sides. Fine text, video playback and animations may look blurred or lag behind on a slow connection. The viewer can usually choose between favouring speed and favouring quality in the session options. Audio from your computer and smooth video playback are not guaranteed parts of every session. If they matter, test them during the session and do not assume they will work.

Common problems and next steps

The viewer sees a black screen or only the wallpaper. On macOS, this usually means TeamViewer has no screen recording permission. Grant it in Privacy & Security, then restart TeamViewer. On Linux, the desktop session type can matter, and support for Wayland-based sessions has varied by TeamViewer version. Check the requirements for your version, or try an X11 session if your system offers one.

The viewer can see your screen but cannot control it. On macOS, check that TeamViewer also has Accessibility permission. On any system, review the access control settings for the session.

The connection fails or times out. Check that both devices are online and that TeamViewer shows it is ready to connect. Confirm that the ID was entered correctly and that the password has not changed since you shared it. Company networks, firewalls or security software can block the connection, so contact your network administrator if it fails only on one network.

A message says commercial use was detected, or sessions end after a short time. This relates to TeamViewer's licensing, not your screen or network. If your use really is personal, follow TeamViewer's official process for reviewing the classification. Otherwise, a paid licence is the supported option.

Someone you do not know asks you to share your screen through TeamViewer. Do not give them your ID and password. Unsolicited support calls are a common way to gain access to a computer. Only share with people you contacted yourself or know personally, and end any session you did not expect.