How to Share Screen on Zoom (Computer, iPhone, Android)

Showing beats explaining. Walking a client through a proposal, demoing a product, or teaching a team how to use a tool all go faster when everyone can see your screen. Zoom makes it a couple of clicks, but the first time you do it in front of people you want to know exactly what's about to appear on their side.

Below are the steps from Zoom's own support pages for computers, Android and iPhone, plus the settings that decide who's allowed to share in the first place.

Sharing your screen on Zoom from a Windows or Mac computer

1. Join or start your meeting in the Zoom desktop app.
2. Click Share in the meeting controls toolbar.
3. Pick a tab. Screens covers your whole screen or individual app windows, Documents covers things like a Zoom Whiteboard, and Advanced covers a portion of your screen, a video file or a second camera.
4. Choose what you want to show. To pick several app windows at once, Zoom says to hold Ctrl on Windows or Shift on a Mac while you click.
5. Click Share at the bottom of the window.

Zoom says participants then see a banner confirming they can view your screen, and a floating toolbar appears for you with Stop share and Pause or Resume. Zoom also says the host can't see your screen unless you choose to share it, which is a handy line for nervous guests.

Sharing sound and video when you share your Zoom screen

Before you click the final Share button, look at the options along the bottom of the share window. Two matter most:

• Share sound: tick it when your video, music or demo has audio you want people to hear.
• Optimize for video sharing: Zoom says to use this for full-screen video, and to leave it off otherwise because the share can look blurry.

If you forget to tick the sound box, you can usually fix it without stopping. Zoom's pages describe adding sound from the More menu on the share toolbar.

Sharing a Zoom screen from an iPhone or iPad

On an iPhone the route is slightly different because iOS broadcasts the whole screen. Zoom's help gives this order:

1. Turn on Do Not Disturb first, so a text message doesn't pop up on a client's screen.
2. Join the meeting from the Zoom app and tap Share in the toolbar.
3. Choose the screen option. If you can't see it, Zoom says the host may have switched desktop screen sharing off.
4. Decide whether to share device audio, then tap Start Broadcast.
5. Wait through the 3-second countdown, then swipe up or press the home button to leave the broadcast controls.

To finish, open the Zoom app and tap Stop Share, or tap the red indicator in the top-left corner and then Stop. One catch from Zoom's pages: you can't annotate while sharing your entire iOS screen.

Sharing your screen on Zoom from an Android phone

Zoom's help says screen sharing from Android needs Android 10 or higher. Tap Share, then pick Screen from the list, which also offers things like Photos, Documents, a website address, the camera or a whiteboard. If you want your phone's audio to be heard, tap Share Audio once the share has started. Zoom notes that some apps block audio capture, so music from certain apps may stay silent.

Sharing a screen on Zoom from a web browser

No app installed? Sign in to the Zoom Web App, click Share and choose a browser tab, an app window or your desktop. Zoom says tab audio can be switched on in Chrome only. One more limit worth knowing: Zoom's pages say you can't start a share from a mobile browser, though a mobile browser can watch one.

Why you can't share your screen on Zoom

If the Share button is missing or does nothing, the cause is usually one of these:

• The host has limited sharing. Zoom says hosts can enable or disable participant screen sharing, and Basic accounts default to host-only.
• You're in a webinar. Zoom says only the host, co-hosts and panelists can share there.
• An admin has switched desktop screen sharing off for hosted meetings.
• Your Mac needs permission. On macOS Catalina, Zoom says you must tick zoom.us under Screen Recording in System Preferences before you can share.

Hosts who want tighter control can open the arrow next to Share, find the host-only sharing tools and set who can share to Host only. They can also decide whether guests can annotate and whether names show beside annotations.

Using Zoom screen sharing in your business

A tidy share makes you look organised. Close the tabs you don't want a client to see, switch off notifications, and have the file or page you need open and ready before you click Share. Sharing one app window instead of your whole desktop keeps your inbox and personal tabs out of view.

If you demo software with a team on a different platform, my walkthrough of screen sharing on Discord covers the same habits there.

Presenting a recorded session later? My guide to finding a webinar recording after a Zoom call shows where the replay lands.

Frequently asked questions

How do I share my screen on Zoom?

Click Share in the meeting controls, choose your screen or an app window on the Screens tab, then click Share. Use Stop share on the floating toolbar when you're done.

How do I share sound when I share my Zoom screen?

Tick the Share sound option in the share window before you start. For video that fills the screen, Zoom also offers Optimize for video sharing.

Why can't I share my screen on Zoom?

The host may have limited sharing to host only, you may be in a webinar where only the host, co-hosts and panelists can share, or on a Mac you may need to allow Zoom under Screen Recording.

Can I share my screen on Zoom from my phone?

Yes in the Zoom app. Tap Share and choose Screen. Zoom's help says Android needs version 10 or higher, and on iPhone you tap Start Broadcast.

Can the host see my screen before I share it?

No. Zoom's help says hosts can't see your screen unless you choose to share it.