- Share your screen on iPhone or iPad
- Share your screen on a Mac
- What the other person sees
- Why some videos go black
- Screen share with someone on Android or Windows
- Remote help without remote control
- If the Share Content button is missing
- Share your screen in a group call
- Keep it private
- My verdict
- Frequently asked questions
To share your screen on FaceTime, tap the screen during a call to show the controls, tap the Share Content button, then Share My Screen. After a three-second countdown everyone sees your screen, and they can watch but can't control your phone. Tap Share Content again to stop.
Screen sharing on FaceTime is perfect for helping a parent find a setting, walking a colleague through a document or showing photos without sending them all. It's built into FaceTime on iPhone, iPad and Mac, and it takes three taps. The button has moved around between iOS versions, which is why people struggle to find it, so here's where to look and what others can and can't see.
Share your screen on iPhone or iPad
- Start or join a FaceTime call.
- Tap the screen to bring up the call controls.
- Tap the Share Content button, a rectangle with a person in front of it. On newer versions of iOS it may sit under the More button.
- Tap Share My Screen.
- Wait for the countdown from 3 to 1. Your screen now appears in the call.
- Leave FaceTime and open whatever you want to show.
A small FaceTime bubble stays on screen so you can still see the other people. To stop, tap the Share Content button again, or the purple screen-sharing indicator at the top of the screen.
Share your screen on a Mac
During a FaceTime call on a Mac, click the screen-sharing button in the menu bar or the FaceTime window, then choose to share a single window or the whole screen. Sharing one window is safer, because only that app is visible to everyone in the call, so a stray email or message on your desktop won't show up.
What the other person sees
| They can see | They can't |
|---|---|
| Everything on your screen while sharing | Tap or control your phone |
| Apps you open and scroll through | See your notifications |
| Your typing, unless you hide the keyboard | See protected streaming or rented content |
Apple says notifications don't appear to the people watching, which saves embarrassment. But everything else on screen does, including passwords as you type them, so stop sharing before you sign in to anything.
Why some videos go black
Apple notes that others won't see content you'd have to sign up for, rent or buy to watch. Netflix, Apple TV and similar apps show black to the other person. For watching together, use SharePlay instead: from the call, open a supported app and press play, and Apple says playback starts at the same time for everyone on the call who has access to that content.
Screen share with someone on Android or Windows
It doesn't work. People who join FaceTime from a web link can talk and see video, but Apple says screen sharing and SharePlay aren't available in FaceTime on the web. For mixed devices, use another app. My guide to screen sharing on Discord works on every platform.
Remote help without remote control
Because the viewer can't control your phone, screen sharing is best for showing rather than fixing. If you're helping someone older, flip it round: ask them to share their screen with you, then talk them through each tap while you watch. It's slower than taking over, but it's safe, and they learn where things are, which means fewer calls asking for help with the same setting a few weeks later. It also keeps their banking and passwords firmly in their own hands.
If the Share Content button is missing
- Update iOS. Screen sharing needs a recent version on every device in the call.
- Check you're in a FaceTime call, not a normal phone call; recent iOS versions also allow sharing in some phone calls, through a different menu.
- Some apps block screen sharing of their content.
- On a work iPhone, a management profile may disable it.
Share your screen in a group call
Screen sharing works in group FaceTime calls too. Everyone in the call sees your screen at once, which is handy for a quick family look at holiday photos or a small team going through a document together. Only one person shares at a time; if someone else starts sharing, they take over and your share stops. Agree who's showing what before you start, and you'll avoid the call turning into a tug of war over the screen.
Keep it private
- Turn on Do Not Disturb or a Focus before you share, so messages don't pop up.
- Close apps showing anything personal before you start.
- Stop sharing before typing a password or opening banking apps.
- On a Mac, share one window rather than the whole screen.
If you need a recording of what you showed, rather than a live share, Control Center's Screen Recording does that. My explainer on whether screen recording notifies people on Instagram covers the etiquette side.
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My verdict
Tap the screen, tap Share Content and choose Share My Screen, then open the app you want to show. That's all it takes on iPhone and iPad. Use Do Not Disturb so nothing private pops up, stop sharing before typing passwords, and use SharePlay rather than screen sharing when you want to watch a show together, because streaming apps show black when shared.
Frequently asked questions
How do I share my screen on FaceTime?
During a call, tap the screen, tap Share Content and choose Share My Screen.
Can people control my phone when I share my screen on FaceTime?
No. They can see your screen but can't control anything.
Why is Netflix black when I share my screen on FaceTime?
Protected streaming content doesn't show. Use SharePlay to watch together.
Can I share my screen on FaceTime with an Android user?
No. Screen sharing isn't available to people joining from the web.
Do my notifications show when I share my screen?
No. Apple says notifications don't appear to others.
How do I stop sharing my screen on FaceTime?
Tap the Share Content button again or the purple indicator at the top.
