Free Screen Sharing on Video Calls

Quick answer: During any video call, click the screen share button (usually at the bottom of the call window), choose what to share (whole screen, a single window, or a browser tab), and click Share. It works on desktop, and most mobile devices support it too. Close any sensitive tabs or notifications before you start.

How to Share Your Screen on Desktop (Step by Step)

Screen sharing works in nearly every video calling tool, and the process is almost identical across all of them. Here is how to do it on a computer.

1. Start or join a video call. Use any tool: Google Meet, Zoom, InstantVideoCall, or anything else with screen sharing built in.
2. Find the screen share button. It usually looks like a monitor with an arrow or a rectangle. In most tools, it sits at the bottom toolbar of the call window.
3. Choose what to share. You will see three options in most browsers:
   • Entire screen shares everything visible on your display, including your desktop, all open windows, and notifications.
   • Application window shares only one specific app (like a PowerPoint or a spreadsheet). The other person cannot see anything else on your computer.
   • Browser tab shares a single tab. This is the most focused option and works well for showing a website or document.
4. Click Share. The other person will immediately see what you selected. A colored border (usually blue or green) appears around the shared area so you know what is visible.
5. Click Stop Sharing when you are done. There is usually a floating "Stop sharing" button at the top or bottom of your screen.

Pro tip: If you only need to show a website or a Google Doc, share a browser tab instead of your entire screen. It is cleaner, avoids accidentally revealing other tabs, and often delivers smoother video quality because the browser optimizes the stream.

How to Share Your Screen on Mobile

Screen sharing from a phone works differently than on desktop, and the experience varies by platform.

On Android:

1. Join a video call in your browser or app
2. Tap the screen share or present button
3. Android will show a system prompt asking to share "everything on your screen." Tap Start now
4. Your entire screen is now shared. There is no option to share a single app or window on mobile

On iPhone and iPad:

1. Join a video call
2. Tap the screen share button
3. iOS will ask to "Start Broadcast." Tap it
4. Everything on your screen is now visible to the other person, including notifications

Important for mobile: When sharing your phone screen, the other person sees everything. There is no way to limit it to one app. If a text message, notification, or private app appears while you are sharing, they will see it. Turn on Do Not Disturb before starting. For more on mobile video calls, see our guide on how to make a video call.

Privacy Checklist Before You Share

Accidental screen sharing mishaps make the news regularly. A few seconds of preparation prevents embarrassing moments:

• Close personal tabs. Your shopping cart, email inbox, social media feed, and banking tabs should all be closed or in a different browser window
• Turn off notifications. On Mac, enable Focus mode. On Windows, turn on Do Not Disturb. On your phone, enable DND. Message previews that pop up over your shared screen are visible to everyone on the call
• Clear your desktop. If you are sharing your entire screen, any files on your desktop are visible. File names can be more revealing than you think
• Check your bookmarks bar. If you share a browser window or tab, your bookmarks bar is often visible at the top. Make sure nothing there is awkward
• Use a separate browser profile. If you do a lot of screen sharing for business video calls, create a dedicated browser profile with only work-related bookmarks and extensions

Troubleshooting Common Screen Sharing Problems

"The other person sees a black screen"

• Your browser may not have permission to record your screen. On Mac, go to System Settings, then Privacy and Security, then Screen Recording, and make sure your browser is checked
• On Windows, some security software blocks screen capture. Temporarily disable any screen-capture protection in your antivirus settings
• Try a different browser. Chrome generally has the best screen sharing support

"My shared screen is blurry or laggy"

• Close other bandwidth-heavy apps (streaming, large downloads)
• Share a browser tab instead of your entire screen. Tab sharing uses less bandwidth because the browser optimizes the stream
• Lower your screen resolution temporarily. A 1080p share looks great but requires more bandwidth than 720p

"I can share on desktop but not on my phone"

• Not all video calling tools support mobile screen sharing. Browser-based tools using WebRTC generally do, but the experience varies
• Make sure your mobile browser or app is up to date
• On iPhone, you may need to grant Screen Recording permission in Settings

"Audio isn't sharing with my screen"

• When you select what to share, look for a "Share audio" or "Share tab audio" checkbox. It is often off by default
• System audio sharing only works when sharing a browser tab (in most tools). Sharing a window or entire screen typically does not include audio
• If you need to play audio for others, share the specific browser tab that has the audio playing

If you are sharing your screen for a job interview or presentation, test it with a friend first. Our video interview tips guide covers how to prepare your tech setup in advance. And if you need screen sharing on a Chromebook specifically, our Chromebook video call guide addresses the unique quirks of that platform.

Which Tools Support Free Screen Sharing?

Almost every major video calling tool includes screen sharing at no cost:

• Google Meet: Free screen sharing on desktop and mobile. Guests can share too, not just the host
• Zoom: Free screen sharing with annotation tools. The host can control whether guests are allowed to share
• InstantVideoCall: Free screen sharing in the browser. No account needed. Works on desktop and mobile
• Microsoft Teams: Free screen sharing with a presenter toolbar
• WhatsApp: Screen sharing available on the desktop app only (not on mobile)

If you need screen sharing for tutoring sessions or customer support calls, any of these tools will work. The key difference is whether you want the other person to download an app or just click a link.

Need to share your screen right now? Start a free video conference with built-in screen sharing, no account needed.