In Microsoft Teams, it is now possible to share your screen in a chat conversation. Before, you needed to be in a call with someone before you could share your screen.
In an instant message conversation, choose the Share Content button, and select the Desktop or Window you would like to share. Teams will ask the person or people you’re chatting with if they’d like to accept your content. Whatever you choose to share will be outlined in red to remind you it’s being shared.
Choose the Share Content button again to bring up the Screen Share Session.
From here, there are three ways to stop sharing your screen. From the Microsoft Teams client, you can always press the Stop Sharing button to stop sharing. If you click away from the Teams client, you will see the Call Options Menu, and you can choose the Stop Sharing button here as well. The last way is if you are sharing your Desktop, you can move your mouse to the top of the desktop to see the toolbar. From here you can choose Stop Presenting.
This will end your screen share session.
And that’s how you share your screen from a chat window with Microsoft Teams.
Hi, is there a way to share a screen in a group chat?
Hi Kat, the process for sharing your screen in a group chat is the same as in this video. Once you’ve built a group chat, you can use the Share Content icon to share your screen. You’ll want to make sure that all of your participants are using Teams–and none are using Skype in inter-op mode–or this option may not appear for you. Also make sure you’re using the desktop version of the app! Thanks for reading!
Is there a way to use MS Teams to do screen sharing like Goto meeting with external users who are not part of your MS Team
Hi John, thanks for your question! This is a question we get a lot. With Teams, you can do screen sharing with external participants just like in GoTo Meeting.
Let’s get some background information so we can understand how this works: when you join a GoTo Meeting meeting, you’re downloading a plugin that runs the necessary software for screen sharing on your computer. When someone without Microsoft Teams joins a Teams meeting, they can join straight from a browser without downloading a plugin like this. This is more convenient for most users, but it does mean that screen sharing is dependent on the specific capabilities of the browser being used. Alternatively, users can download the free desktop version of Teams to be able to join meetings and have full screen sharing capabilities when joining your meetings (given that you have the necessary prerequisite licensing)–which would be similar to the plugin download that happens with GoTo Meeting.
These are the browsers for which users in a meeting will be able to both receive incoming screen shares and share their own screen in the other direction: Microsoft Edge (Chromium-based) and Google Chrome. Users in these browsers will be able to see incoming screen sharing but will not be able to share their own screens: Safari, Firefox, Microsoft Edge (RS2), and Internet Explorer.
Right now, taking control of someone’s screen from the browser version of Teams is not supported. For more information about this, please visit the Microsoft Teams Limits documentation.
I hope this helps answer your question! Let us know if we can be of any further help, and of course feel free to contact us at info@pei.com for any assistance.
does screen share function be available on mobile device?
Hi Gordon, yes. Screen sharing is available on both iOS and Android devices using the Microsoft Teams Mobile app. You’ll have to be in a meeting to use this feature.
Is there an administrative setting that controls the behavior. When my colleagues and I try to share a screen it wants to set up a call. if you reject rather than ignore the pop up the screen share stops.
Hi Celia, great question.
This video doesn’t show the behavior for the other user, so it can be confusing. Teams is not actually setting up a call here. After Teams asks your recipient to accept the screen sharing session, it launches the screen share with a message that says “Calling.” I completely understand your confusion here, but Teams is really just connecting your screen share session. This is why sharing stops when the session is rejected.
You’ll notice in this video that the screen sharing session looks very similar to a call, even though the two demonstrators cannot hear each other and aren’t in a phone call. I encourage you to have your recipient click accept on the incoming notification and wait until after the “calling” message disappears. They’ll be in a screen sharing session with no audio–not a full call. Teams will then send another notification that says, “Sharing only. Want to talk?,” which either party can use to turn the session into a call if they desire.
Let us know if you have any further questions!
Hi, is it possible all participants in video meeting to share their screens in the same time? So the Organizer of meeting could see screens to all participants?
Hi Boris, only one person can share their screen at a time. When a new person shares their screen, the first person’s screen share will stop. Let us know if you have more questions!
Hello. When screen sharing, is it possible to share the audio from the shared screen (like from a video) to the participants as well?
Hi Lauren, thanks for reading! Yes it is possible! After clicking the Share Content button, the share tray now includes a check box on the top right that says “Include System Audio.” Just make sure that box is checked and you’ll be able to show your video with sound.
Hello, If I share my screen with a client and then a team member (who is not on the call) send me a msg via chat, will my client see the pop up? This could include names of other clients or sensitive information about another team member, so I am really hoping that the screen being shared is restricted to the activity of that call/chat.
Hi Toni, this depends on a few things. If you’re sharing your desktop instead of a specific window, then everything that pops up on your screen will be visible. However, while you’re sharing your screen, Teams will automatically switch your presence status to Do Not Disturb, which will prevent notifications from popping up in Teams.
When you are sharing your screen, is it possible to record the session for later viewing? This would be a great training tool.
Hi Rich, this is possible, but not when you share your screen from chat. You need to be in a meeting to turn on the recording. Click the Ellipsis icon from the Meeting Options. Then select “Start Recording.” If you don’t see this option in a meeting, you’re either in a country that doesn’t support it or your IT Admin has disabled it.
I’m actually having a problem when sharing my screen, the recipients have a minimised window and I’ve tried to look for a config but I’ve not been able to share them a full screen. I’ve tried sharing desktop, screen, file, etc. it’s the same, they can’t view it full screen. Thanking you in anticipating for your help.
Hi Dwight, I can’t be absolutely sure what you mean by “minimized.” that typically means not visible, but it sounds like you mean that the screen is just small? Is the screen or window you’re trying to share extremely large? If it has an extreme widescreen aspect ratio, then it will be made smaller automatically to fit into the viewer’s Teams window. You can have your viewers switch to full screen on their end using the “full screen” button. That wouldn’t be something you control on your side. Let me know if this answers your question!
Why would the share icon not show in my screen at times and some times it does? I also do not see the give control at some times when I am sharing, and need to know what I can do to make sure there is something that can’t be done? I minimize and move screens and I have lost the ability to share and give control both in the same day. I was told it was user error. Sometimes the person chatting with me has to ask my request for control. This should not be happening, and I want to know if I need a ticket?
Hi Deborah, this type of issue is hard to diagnose without a more detailed account, but I’ll try to walk through some possible options. The share icon will only show in meetings or Teams-to-Teams conversations. If you’re in a PSTN call, you won’t see it. To see the Give Control option, you need to be already sharing your screen and then must move your mouse to the top of the screen and hover there for a few seconds (most users aren’t patient enough and move on before the toolbar appears). You can click the “pin” button to keep the toolbar there without needing to move your mouse. You also won’t be able to give control to users who have joined your meeting from a web browser. They need to be using the desktop version of the app. Let me know if you have any other questions!
Hi
Is there a way of not viewing the shared screen some is presenting. Sometimes i wont want to view the shared video but i am forced to view and will be incurring data greater costs
Hi Thomas, yes. To accomplish this, use the ellipsis icon and select “stop incoming video.”
How do you screen share if the icon is not there?
Hi Shelbi, if the screen sharing icon is not there, it’s likely that your organization has this feature turned off or you’re using a version of the app (in an unsupported browser on on an older device) that doesn’t support this functionality.
I had a scheduled chat sent to me. I downloaded the desktop app. And tested the site. Is there a reason I cannot see the share option. The only thing I get is audio and camera as options under the window. It does show me as a guest. Would that have anything to do with it?
Hi Martha, I think maybe you’re talking about a meeting? If so, you’re likely correct. Either the meeting organizer has set that guests cannot present content in their meeting or the IT Admin at the company of the meeting organizer has set a tenant-wide policy prohibiting guests from presenting.
Can you see the video and what you are sharing in the chat at the same time? I can only do one or the other?
Hi Delaqua, if you’re sharing your screen in a chat, then there will be no video since you’re only chatting. You’ll need to upgrade to a video call and then share your screen to be able to see video and share your screen at the same time.
Is it possible to be on a group teams call and screen share by chat with only one other person in the same call?
Hi Gabriel, you could do this in a breakout room, but at that point, you’d be separated from the larger call and wouldn’t be able to hear or speak to anyone on the main call. Otherwise, you should start a separate chat conversation to accomplish this.