Share your desktop - Communicator

You can share your desktop with your contacts at any time during a conversation. For example, if you have a presentation slide deck or a document that you want to present to your contacts, you can start a desktop sharing session right from your IM window. When you share your desktop, other users who are invited to take part in the desktop sharing session can view all the tasks that you are performing on the shared screen.

Windows Mac

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Sharing your desktop

You can start a desktop sharing session at any time during a conversation. As the person sharing your desktop, you can give control to the other participants, return to the conversation window (for example to continue an IM conversation or start video), and stop the desktop sharing session.

To share your desktop during a Communicator conversation

1. In the Conversation window, click the Sharing button, and then click Share Desktop. A highlighted frame appears around your entire desktop to indicate that your desktop is currently visible to other participants, and an In Control sharing menu appears at the top of the screen indicating that you are in control of the sharing session.

2. In the participants' conversation windows, the message Click to accept invitation to sharing session appears together with an alert. The other participants click the message to accept the invitation.

   Note: If you have multiple monitors, you can select the monitor you want to share.

3. When you are sharing your desktop, you can open and display programs, page through documents, or walk through a slide deck as you would typically do.

To give control to another participant

1. To share control of the desktop sharing session, in the Conversation window, click the arrow next to the In Control sharing bar, and then under Grant Control to, click the name of the participant.

2. To take back control of the desktop sharing session, in the Conversation window, click the arrow next to the In Control sharing bar, and then click Take Back Control.

To add video to the desktop sharing session

1. In the sharing menu bar, click the Show conversation button to return to the conversation window.

2. In the conversation window, click the Start video call button.

To stop desktop sharing

• In the In Control sharing bar, click the Stop sharing button.

Viewing a shared desktop

When someone else initiates desktop sharing, you can accept the invitation to view desktop sharing, change your view of the shared desktop, and request control of the shared desktop.

To accept an invitation to a desktop sharing session

1. When a participant initiates desktop sharing during a conversation, the message Click to accept invitation to sharing session appears in your conversation window. If you are not currently in a conversation, an alert appears on your desktop.

2. Click the message or alert to begin viewing the sharer's desktop.

To change your view of the shared desktop

1. You can use window controls to maximize or resize your view of the shared desktop by using window controls the window. You can also use the following controls to change your view:

   • To toggle the size of the resize the shared desktop between to actual size and fit to window, click the Actual size button

   • To fill your entire screen with the shared desktop, click the Fit to screen button

   • To request control of the shared desktop, click the Take control button.

Share your desktop

1. In the Contact List, click Share Desktop  , and then click the name of the contact.

   A highlighted frame appears around your entire desktop to indicate that the desktop is currently visible to other participants.

   Notes: 

   • To share your desktop with a person that you are conversing with, in the conversation window, click Share Desktop  .

   • To invite other contacts to the desktop sharing session, click Invite  , and then click a contact.

2. In the participant's conversation window, the Desktop sharing invitation message appears.

   The participant clicks either Accept  to join the desktop sharing session or Decline  to decline the desktop sharing invitation.

Stop desktop sharing

• In the conversation window, click Stop Sharing  .

Accept or decline a desktop sharing invitation

• If you see the desktop sharing invitation in the conversation window, click Accept  to join the desktop sharing session, or click Decline  to decline the desktop sharing invitation.

Replace a shared desktop with your own desktop

Only one desktop can be shared at a time. You can replace a shared desktop with your desktop so that session participants can then view your desktop.

• In the conversation window of a desktop sharing session, click Share Desktop  .

Take control of a shared desktop

Note: This feature is available on Communicator for Mac only if the desktop sharing session is initiated from a Windows-based computer.

You can request control of a shared desktop at any time if the sharer allows participants to request control.

• In the desktop sharing window, click Request Control  .