How to Share Audio on Zoom With or Without Your Screen (2026)

You've lined up a brilliant promo video for your webinar, hit play, and everyone on the call sees moving pictures in total silence. It's one of the most common Zoom mishaps, and it happens because sharing your screen and sharing your computer's sound are two separate switches.

If you run workshops, demo a product, play music for a fitness class or show clients a video ad, you'll want both. Here's how Zoom's support pages say to share audio, with or without your screen, plus the fixes when people still can't hear anything.

Sharing audio on Zoom along with your screen

This is the one you'll use most, for videos, demos and slides with sound. Zoom's steps for the desktop app on Windows, macOS or Linux:

1. Start or join a Zoom meeting.
2. Click Share Screen on the meeting toolbar.
3. Select the program or desktop you want to share.
4. Tick Share Sound at the bottom of the share window.
5. Optional: click the down arrow next to Share Sound and pick Mono or Stereo (high fidelity).
6. Click Share in the bottom-right corner.

I'd pick stereo (high fidelity) for music, where sound quality matters. For a talking-head video, mono does the job.

Sharing only audio on Zoom without showing your screen

Sometimes you want people to hear something but not see your desktop, like background music while people arrive or a podcast clip you're discussing. Zoom has a separate option for that:

1. Click Share Screen on the meeting toolbar.
2. Open the Advanced tab.
3. Click Computer Audio (it shows a volume icon).
4. Optional: use the down arrow to choose Mono or Stereo (high fidelity).
5. Click Share.

Participants hear whatever your computer plays, but your screen stays private. It's handy if your desktop is cluttered or you've got other client work open.

Turning on sound after you've started sharing on Zoom

Forgot to tick the box? You don't need to stop and start again. According to Zoom, click More on the share toolbar and select Share Sound. You can switch between mono and stereo from the same More menu, under Select sharing sound mode.

Sharing audio from the Zoom mobile app

Zoom's main audio article focuses on desktop, but its troubleshooting page covers phones too:

• On Android, tap Share Audio when you share your screen.
• On iPhone or iPad, make sure Share Device Audio is turned on in the window that shows you're sharing your screen.

Menus vary by app version, so if you can't see these options, update the Zoom app first.

Controlling volume when you share audio on Zoom

There's no volume slider in Zoom for shared sound. Its help says volume is controlled at the source, so you adjust it in the app playing the sound or in your device settings. Zoom also notes that changing your device volume affects what you hear in the meeting too, and that on Windows the behaviour depends on your audio drivers.

Problem	What Zoom suggests
Shared video is too loud	Turn it down in the player or app itself
You can't hear the meeting after changing volume	Check your device volume, which affects both
Volume changes when you switch speakers on Windows	That depends on your audio drivers
People hear the sound twice	Mute either the phone or computer speaker if anyone joined both ways

That last point catches people out on bigger calls. Zoom says anyone who joined by phone and computer at the same time may hear the shared audio twice, so ask them to mute one.

If people can't hear your shared audio on Zoom

The usual causes are listed on Zoom's troubleshooting page. Work through them in this order:

1. Check Share Sound was ticked. If not, use More on the share toolbar to switch it on.
2. In the Zoom web app on Chrome, Zoom says to clear the Share tab audio checkbox in the bottom-left of the pop-up when you share a tab, so it doesn't mute you.
3. Update Zoom and your operating system to the latest versions.
4. Check whether antivirus software or a VPN is blocking Zoom.
5. Clear your browser's or device's cache and cookies.
6. If it's still silent, Zoom suggests uninstalling Zoom, restarting your device and router, then reinstalling it.

Zoom also says the feature needs a desktop app at or above its minimum version, or the Zoom Web App in Chrome. If you're on an old install, updating is the first fix to try.

Making shared audio work for webinars and workshops

A bit of prep saves the awkward silence:

• Open the video or music file before the call so it's ready to play.
• Do a quick test with a friend or a second device.
• Tell attendees when sound is coming, so they don't think their speakers have failed.
• Turn off notifications so a ping doesn't play through to the whole room.

Before a workshop, I'd also check the name people will see. My guide to changing how your name shows on Zoom takes a minute. And if you record the session, here's where your Zoom webinar recording ends up afterwards.

Frequently asked questions

How do I share audio on Zoom?

Click Share Screen, choose what to share, tick Share Sound and click Share. To share audio without your screen, use the Advanced tab and pick Computer Audio.

Can I share sound on Zoom without sharing my screen?

Yes. Click Share Screen, open the Advanced tab, select Computer Audio and click Share. People hear your computer's sound but can't see your screen.

How do I turn on sound after I've started sharing on Zoom?

Click More on the share toolbar and select Share Sound. You can also switch between mono and stereo there.

Why can't people hear the video I'm sharing on Zoom?

Usually Share Sound wasn't ticked. Zoom also suggests clearing Share tab audio in Chrome, updating Zoom, checking antivirus or VPN software and clearing your cache.

How do I share audio on Zoom from my phone?

On Android, tap Share Audio when you share your screen. On iPhone or iPad, turn on Share Device Audio in the screen sharing window.