The short answer
In a Zoom meeting, click Share (or Share Screen) in the meeting controls, choose your whole screen or a specific window, and click Share. Tick “Share sound” if you're playing a video. On a Mac, you may need to allow Zoom in System Settings › Privacy & Security › Screen & System Audio Recording.
Screen sharing in Zoom lets everyone see what’s on your screen: a presentation, a document, a website or a video. Here’s how to do it on a computer and on your phone.
Share your screen on a computer
- Join or start a Zoom meeting.
- Click Share (or Share Screen) in the meeting controls at the bottom of the window.
- Choose what to share:
- Screen / Desktop: everything on your monitor.
- A window: a single app, like PowerPoint or a browser window.
- Whiteboard or portion of screen (under Advanced).
- Optional: tick Share sound if you’ll play audio or video.
- Click Share.
The meeting controls move to the top of your screen. Click Stop Share when you’re done.
Fix the Mac permission problem
On macOS, Zoom needs permission to record your screen:
- Open System Settings › Privacy & Security.
- Click Screen & System Audio Recording (named Screen Recording on older versions).
- Turn on zoom.us.
- Quit and reopen Zoom if asked.
Share from your phone or tablet
- In a Zoom meeting, tap Share (or Share Content).
- Choose Screen to share your whole screen, or a photo, document or website.
- On iPhone, tap Start Broadcast when prompted. On Android, confirm the screen-capture prompt.
- To stop, return to Zoom and tap Stop Share.
Tips for smooth sharing
- Close private apps and turn on Do Not Disturb before sharing your whole screen.
- Share a single window when you can, to avoid showing notifications.
- Open your files before the meeting so you’re not searching while everyone waits.
- Presenting slides? Start the slideshow, then share that window.
If you’re the host
Click the arrow next to Share and choose Advanced Sharing Options to decide whether all participants or only the host can share, and whether others can start sharing while someone else is.
Related guides
Want to capture what’s on your screen instead? See how to take a screenshot on Windows or Mac. If your computer slows down during calls, see how to speed up a slow Windows 11 PC or force quit a frozen app on a Mac.
The bottom line
Click Share, pick a window or your whole screen, tick Share sound for videos, and click Share. On a Mac, give Zoom screen recording permission once and you’re set.
Frequently asked questions
Why can't I share my screen?
The host may have limited screen sharing to the host only. Ask the host to allow participants to share. On a Mac, make sure Zoom has screen recording permission in System Settings.
Should I share my whole screen or one window?
Sharing a single window is usually safer: other people only see that app, not your notifications, email or other windows.
How do I share a video with sound?
Before you click Share, tick Share sound. For smoother playback, also tick Optimize for video clip if your Zoom version offers it.
Why you can trust this guide
- Based on official sources. The steps here are checked against the 2 official sources listed below, such as the help pages of the companies involved.
- Checked and dated. Last checked on November 10, 2026. We update guides when software or advice changes.
- Independent. No company paid for or reviewed this guide. We don't sell products, and ads never influence our advice.
- Open to corrections. Spotted an error? Tell us and we'll fix it. Read how we research.
Sources
- Zoom Support — Sharing your screen, content or second camera
- Zoom Support — Enabling screen sharing permissions for macOS
This guide is general information. Menus and features can change with software updates, and steps may differ on your device or version. Back up important data before making big changes. Read our disclaimer.
