How to Screen Share in Facebook Messenger

How to Screen Share in Facebook Messenger

Facebook Messenger now lets you share other open apps, browser tabs, photos, videos and more during your video calls. And even better, you don’t have to wait for it to roll out to your preferred platform: The new screen-sharing feature is available now on Android, iOS and desktop versions of Messenger, Messenger Rooms, Workplace Rooms and any other Facebook app in which you can make a video call.

Naturally, the feature works a little differently depending on your device. Desktop users can choose to share specific applications, browser windows or their entire desktop view, while mobile devices will broadcast whatever is currently open on their screens.

The number of participants is restricted based on which service you’re using. Normal Messenger calls will let you broadcast your screen with up to eight other people in a single call, while Messenger Rooms currently allows 16 people in screen-share sessions. Facebook plans to bump that limit from 16 to 50 in the coming weeks, and will be adding additional controls for Messenger Rooms so whoever created the call can set restrictions for who can share their screen.

For now, though, all call members can share their screen at any time during the call.

How to screen share in a Facebook video call

The screen share feature is only available in the latest version of Facebook’s various Messenger apps, so make sure your apps have been updated before you try. (Desktop users don’t have to do anything.). Also, all devices in a call must support screen sharing in order to use it.

With those requirements out of the way, here’s how to screen share in a Facebook video call on mobile and desktop:

On desktop (via web browser)

  1. Open Messenger.com, Facebook.com, Messenger Rooms or Workplace Rooms.
  2. Start a video call or create a new room.
  3. Click “Share screen” from the bottom menu.
  4. Select “Entire screen,” “Application window or “Browser tab.”
  5. Once screen sharing has started, you can keep the call in the background and click around the shared tabs/apps if you want.
  6. Press “Stop” at the top of the call window to end the screen share at any time.

On mobile

  1. Open the Facebook Messenger app (or one of the other supported Facebook apps).
  2. Start a video call.
  3. While in the call, swipe up to expand the options bar.
  4. Tap “Share your screen,” then “Start sharing and finally “Start broadcast.”
  5. Once the screen share has started, you can navigate to your other apps while the video call is in the background.
  6. Swap back to the video call to stop screen sharing.

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