How Do I Share My Screen on a Video Call?

Sharing your screen during a video call allows you to display content directly from your device to other participants, making presentations, collaborations, and troubleshooting much more effective.

Understanding Screen Sharing

Screen sharing is a powerful feature in most video conferencing platforms that enables you to broadcast your entire desktop or a specific application window to everyone on the call. This is incredibly useful for:

• Presentations: Showing slides, documents, or websites.
• Collaboration: Working together on a shared document or design in real-time.
• Technical Support: Guiding someone through a process or troubleshooting an issue visually.
• Demonstrations: Showcasing software, products, or processes.

General Steps to Share Your Screen

While specific button locations may vary between video call applications, the general process for initiating a screen share typically follows these steps:

1. Join or Start a Call: Ensure you are in an active video call.
2. Locate the Share Button: Look for an icon that represents screen sharing. This is commonly a square with an arrow pointing upwards, a monitor symbol, or a menu option labeled "Share" or "Present."
3. Choose What to Share: Most platforms will give you options:
   • Entire Screen: Shares everything visible on your selected monitor.
   • Specific Window/Application: Shares only a selected application, like a browser or a document. This is often recommended for privacy and focus.
   • Browser Tab: Shares a specific tab from your web browser.
4. Confirm and Start: After selecting what you want to share, click "Share," "Start Sharing," or a similar confirmation button.
5. Stop Sharing: To end the screen share, find the same sharing button or a dedicated "Stop Sharing" button, which often appears prominently during an active share.

Screen Sharing on Google Duo

If you are using Google Duo for your video calls, the process to share your screen is straightforward:

1. Open Google Duo: Launch the application on your device.
2. Start a Video Call: Initiate a call with the person or group you wish to connect with.
3. Activate Screen Share: At the bottom of your screen during the call, tap More options (often represented by three dots). From the menu that appears, select Screen share. You will typically see a prompt like "Start now." Be aware that the other caller will need to accept or cancel your request to share your screen.
4. End Your Screen Share: To stop sharing your screen, simply tap Screen share again.

Tips for a Seamless Screen Sharing Experience

To ensure your screen share goes smoothly and professionally, consider these practical insights:

• Prepare Your Desktop:
  • Close any unnecessary applications, tabs, or files that might contain sensitive or distracting information.
  • Disable notifications to prevent pop-ups from appearing on your shared screen.
  • Organize your desktop and relevant windows beforehand.
• Check Your Internet Connection: A stable internet connection is crucial for clear and lag-free screen sharing. If possible, use a wired connection.
• Practice: If it's a critical presentation, do a quick practice run with a friend or colleague to familiarize yourself with the process and test the audio/visual quality.
• Use the Right Sharing Option: Whenever possible, choose to share a specific application window rather than your entire screen to maintain privacy and focus.
• Be Mindful of Audio: If you need to share a video or audio from your computer, ensure your video conferencing software is configured to share system audio. This setting is often found when you select the sharing option.
• Keep Participants Engaged: While sharing, occasionally check back to see your audience's reactions or pause for questions.

Common Screen Sharing Challenges & Solutions

By following these guidelines, you can effectively share your screen and enhance your communication during any video call.