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How does screensharing work? | Zoom

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During a Zoom meeting it will probably occur that your lecturer shares their screen. This way the lecturer can show the students a presentation, doucment, or a part of a website. Depending on the settings the host has chosen, participants can also share their screen.

Watch someone else's screen
Share your own screen

Watch someone else's screen

If someone else in the meeting has shared their screen, then it will appear in a large portion of the window. The other participants will appear in a small section.

  1. Who shares the screen;
  2. Click here to fill the screen with the shared screen;
  3. By clicking Request Remote Control you can take over the cursor from the host.

Remote control

The lecturer can choose to give the Remote Control to a student, or the student can ask for it. If you have control over the screen, you will see this at the top of the screen.

  1. Click View Options
  2. Click Annotate.
  • Mouse: deactivate the annotation tools and show the cursor.
  • Text: add text.
  • Draw: draw lines, arrows and shapes.
  • Stamp: add stickers such as a cross or a question mark.
  • Spotlight/Arrow: change your cursor into a Spotlight to highlight certain aspects for the other participants. Change your cursor into an Arrow to point out certain annotations.
  • Eraser: remove previous annotations.
  • Format: change the size, colour and font of the annotation tool.
  • Undo: undo your last annotation.
  • Redo: redo the last annotation you have undone.
  • Clear: remove all annotations.
  • Save: save all annotations on the screen by making a screenshot.

Share your own screen

The host can determine whether participants can share their screen as well. If they can, then this is how it will work:

  1. Click Share Screen.
  2. You can share different types of content below Basic.
  3. Choose what content you want to share:
    • Your entire desktop screen: when you share you entire screen the participants will be able to see every action you perform on the chosen screen. A green frame will indicate that you are sharing a certain screen. In this example there are two screens.
    • A Whiteboard: Share a white screen where you can create annotations.
    • An iPhone/iPad.
    • A specific application: In this example Word and Outlook are opened. You will only share the content of this application, for example a Word file. When you open a different application, for example Chrome, on the same screen, then the participants will not see this; they will still see the Word file.
  4. Select the following settings (optional):
    • Share computer sound: every sound that is played on the computer will also be shared in the meeting.
    • Optimize for full screen video clip: select this option when you want to play a video clip in full screen modus. Do not select it for any other type of content, because the shared screen might get blurry.
  5. Click Share.

If possible, use two screens when you want to share a screen. This way you can use one screen to share content, and you will be able to see the participants on the other screen.  

Share an iPhone/iPad screen

  • Click Share Screen and then iPhone/iPad. Instructions will appear:

Make sure that the iPhone or iPad is connected to the same network as the computer. Then open the quick menu on the iPhone/iPad:

  • Click Screen Mirroring. In Dutch this is called 'Synchrone weergave'.
  • Click on the device where you have opened Zoom. The iPhone/iPad screen will now be shared in the meeting.

If you use Zoom on a Mac, you will also be able to share an iPhone/iPad screen with a cable. This option does not exist for Windows.

Share whiteboard

  • Click Share Screen and then click Whiteboard.
  1. A white screen will be opened, this is your Whiteboard.
  2. The annotation tools will be opened automatically.
  3. Create a new Whiteboard page and switch between the pages.

Advanced settings

Below Advanced you will find other screenshare options.

  • Portion of Screen.
  • Music or Computer Sound Only: Only share your computer audio.
  • Content from 2nd Camera: Share a second camera that you have connected to the computer.

Portion of Screen

Go to Advanced and click Portion of screen, then choose Share. A green frame will appear in your screen.

  • Drag the frame to the part of the screen you want to share. Participants will only be able to see the content within this frame. If you share your screen with Portion of Screen, you - as the Host - will be able to move the green frame while screen sharing, or scroll down. The green frame will remain in the same position but the content within the frame changes.

Share screen menu

When you share your screen you will see a menu at the top of your screen.

  • Mute/Unmute: turn your own microphone on or off.
  • Start/Stop Video: turn your own camera on or off.
  • Security:
    • Lock Meeting: if you select this option, no one else will be able to participate in the meeting.
    • Enable Waiting Room: put new participants in the waiting room.
    • Allow Participants to:
    • Share Screen: participants can share their screen.
    • Chat: participants can send messages in the chat.
    • Rename Themselves: participants can share their visible name.
    • Unmute Themselves: participants can turn their own audio on and off. If this feature is turned off, the host is the only one who can unmute participants.
    • Remove Participant...: remove participants.
    • Report...: report participants to Zoom, for example if they are not invited or share inappropriate videos or screens.
  • Participants: view and manage participants (when you are host).
  • New Share: share a new screen, you can again choose which screen or what content you want to share.
  • Pause Share: pause share. Participants will now see the screen you have shared, as screen sharer you are able to open different tabs, applications or documents without the participants seeing them.
  • Annotate/Whiteboard: 
  • Remote Control: allow a participant to take control of the computer mouse.
  • More
    • Chat: open the chat.
    • Invite: invite more participants. Please refer to the manual How do I start and plan a session?
    • Record
    • Allow/Disable participants annotation: give or revoke permission for participants to make annotations.
    • Show/Hide Names of Annotators: show or hide the names of participants when they make screen annotations.
    • Share computer sound:  share the sounds of the computer with the participants.
    • Optimize Share for Full-screen Video Clip: turn on full screen when you want to share a video.
    • End: end the meeting.
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