Basics: Sharing your desktop and other content

Owned by Maarten Meijer
Last updated: Nov 29, 2017
3 min read

You can share content with colleagues either from the messaging conversation window or during a meeting.

This presentable content can include your computer desktop, a single program file or a PowerPoint slideshow.

You can also share a virtual whiteboard, conduct polls and hold a Q&A session.

When you share your desktop, everyone participating can see your entire desktop including notifications. If you have confidential information or documents that you don’t want people to see, close them or use programsharing instead.

Start sharing

  1. Start sharing by first establishing a connection to your contacts by starting an IM conversation, audio/video call or a meeting

  2. To share your screen, click the Present icon from within a conversation or meeting window

From the content options menu:

  • Click Present Desktop to show the entire contents of your desktop (if, for instance you are working with multiple programs).
    If you have a dual-monitor setup, you can choose to select all monitors, the primary monitor only, or the secondary monitor.

    or


  • Click Present Programs and double-click the program window you want to share (the program for sharing must already be open)


  • Click More… to access other presentable content items such as Whiteboard and Polling


When you share a program file or desktop, the window will have a yellow border and a Now Presenting tab will display on your desktop.

Your presence status will also automatically change to Presentation, and will thus restrict other Skype for Business alerts appearing.

Your participants will receive an alert to notify them that you are sharing content. Once they click Accept, the shared content will appear in a window on their screen.

Initially, only the person who started presenting can control the content. You can however allow any participant to share control. You can take back full control at any time.

What the presenter sees:

Initiating the content share

Click the Present button to send a sharing request to your participants

With sharing established

The Sharing toolbar for sharing control with other participants appears at the top. The yellow border around the desktop indicates the extent of what other participants can see

What the participant sees:

An invite to share alert appears either on the desktop or, if open, in the message window.

Click Accept or on the picture area in the desktop alert.

An invite to share alert appears either on the desktop or, if open, in the message window.

To stop sharing the content, close the stage window.

Allowing participants to control content

On the Sharing toolbar at the top of the presenter’s screen, use any of these options:

  • Click Give Control to share control of your desktop or programs with the specific participants.
    (Control Automatically gives access to anyone automatically who requests control of your desktop; recommended only for small meetings)

    • To revoke control rights, select Take Back Control.
      Alternatively, hit the Ctrl + Alt + Space




  • Click Stop Presenting when you are done sharing your screen.

  • Click the pin to hide the toolbar and have more space.
    To unhide the toolbar, move the mouse to the top of the screen.


If the attendee requests control the presenter will see the following prompt in the Sharing toolbar.