How to Share Screen on Teams: Windows, Mac and Web (2026)

Sharing your screen is the moment a Teams call stops being a chat and becomes a working session. You show the proposal, the spreadsheet or the website you're fixing, and everyone's looking at the same thing. For a small business owner or consultant, it's often the part of the meeting that wins the work.

It's also the part that goes wrong in public. A silent Mac, a notification pinging in front of a client, a window you didn't mean to show. I've followed Microsoft's own help page so the steps match what Teams does now, and I've added the habits I'd want before presenting.

Starting a screen share in a Teams meeting

Microsoft's help is brief about the main move. To present content in a meeting, select Share in your meeting controls, then choose to present your entire screen or a single window.

1. Join or start your Teams meeting.
2. In the meeting controls, select Share.
3. Choose your entire screen, or pick one window from the list.
4. Wait a moment while Teams loads. Participants briefly see a loading screen while your share starts.

My rule: share one window unless you need the full desktop. A single window can't leak your inbox, your other tabs or a message from a friend.

The Teams presenter toolbar while you share

Once you're sharing, move your cursor to the top of the shared screen and a toolbar drops down. Microsoft says only the person presenting can see it. It includes:

• Camera and Mic, to switch your video and sound on or off.
• Give control, to let someone interact with your screen. Microsoft warns that you should only give control to people you trust.
• Take back, once you've given control and want it returned.
• Share audio, to stream sound from your computer into the meeting.
• Optimize, to prevent choppiness or lag while sharing video content.
• Annotate, so you and others can draw or add notes over what's on screen.
• Chat, to see a compact meeting chat that your audience can't see in your shared screen.
• Stop sharing, which returns you to the main meeting window.

There's also a Pin control that keeps the toolbar where you've put it, and a drag handle if it's blocking something important.

Sharing sound from your computer in Teams

If you're playing a video clip, you need the sound switched on before you start, not after. Microsoft's steps: select Share in your meeting controls and turn on the Include sound toggle first.

The warning is worth repeating. Microsoft says all sound from your computer, including notifications, will be audible in the meeting. Close message apps and turn off alerts before you present.

Giving a colleague control of your Teams screen share

Give control lets someone make selections and edits on your shared screen while they have it. That's handy when you're helping a freelancer fix a setting. Microsoft's caution is that people with control can send commands that could affect your system or other apps, so only give control to people you trust. When you're done, select Take back.

On the other side, the person watching can select Request control. The person sharing can approve or deny the request, and the viewer selects Release control to stop.

Handing out PowerPoint slide control in Teams

If you're presenting with co-presenters, Teams has slide control. Microsoft says you can share control of PowerPoint slides with up to 20 people. The detail people miss is that slide control isn't available if you share your screen or whole desktop. You need to share the window your presentation is open in.

1. Join the meeting and select Share in your meeting controls.
2. Under Window, select the window your presentation is open in.
3. Put the presentation in full screen with Slide Show or Start From Beginning.
4. In the presenter toolbar, select Slide control.
5. Choose the people you want to give slide control to.

To stop, select Slide control then End slide control in the toolbar.

Sharing your screen on Teams with a Mac

The Mac is where most 'it won't share' messages come from. Microsoft says to give Teams permission to record your computer's screen first. Teams prompts you the first time you share.

1. Select Share in your meeting controls.
2. If Teams asks you to allow screen recording, select Allow.
3. If you need to change it, select Open System Settings. Under Screen & System Audio Recording, make sure the Microsoft Teams toggle is on.
4. If you missed the prompt, go to Apple Menu, then System Settings, then Privacy & Security.
5. Return to the meeting, select Share again and choose a window or file.

Microsoft adds that if you use Teams on the web on a Mac, you should also give your browser screen recording permission.

Sharing your screen in Teams for the web

You don't have to install the app. Microsoft says that in Teams for web you can share your screen using Google Chrome or the latest version of Microsoft Edge, and that Linux isn't currently supported. If sharing won't start, try one of those two browsers first.

If your Teams screen share won't start

Microsoft's page says that if a screen share doesn't start successfully, other participants may see a short error message with options to restart the app or rejoin the meeting. Work through it in order:

1. Leave and rejoin the meeting, then select Share again.
2. On a Mac, check the Screen & System Audio Recording permission for Teams.
3. On the web, switch to Chrome or the latest Microsoft Edge.
4. Close unused applications to free up memory and try again.
5. If your device is managed by your organisation, ask your IT admin.

Presenting on Teams as a small business owner

A few habits make a shared screen look polished. Close tabs you don't need, and tidy your desktop. Open the document before you share so you aren't hunting for it. If your team is choosing which tools to run meetings on in the first place, my roundup of collaboration tools for teams is a good companion. And if staff use AI note-takers on your calls, it's worth having a written rule, which I explain in why your team needs an AI policy.

Frequently asked questions

How do I share my screen on Teams?

Join your meeting and select Share in the meeting controls. Then choose your entire screen or a single window. A toolbar appears at the top of your shared screen for the presenter only.

Why can't I share my screen on Teams on a Mac?

Microsoft says to give Teams permission to record your screen. Under Screen & System Audio Recording in System Settings, make sure Microsoft Teams is switched on, then try Share again.

How do I share sound when I share my screen on Teams?

Before you start, select Share in your meeting controls and turn on the Include sound toggle. Microsoft warns that all computer sound, including notifications, will be heard.

Can I let someone else control my shared screen in Teams?

Yes, with Give control in the presenter toolbar. Microsoft says to only give control to people you trust. Select Take back to end it.

Can I share my screen in Teams for the web?

Yes, using Google Chrome or the latest version of Microsoft Edge. Microsoft says Linux isn't currently supported.