At a time when working from home is at the forefront, screen sharing has become a must-have feature in every video conferencing application. Given how important this feature is for collaboration and presentation, most video conferencing services like Zoom, Microsoft Teams, Google Meet have supported it the longest. Better than nothing, Apple’s FaceTime video calling service also joined the party with seamless SharePlay (which lets you watch movies, TV shows, and listen to music with your friends) and screen sharing features. This means you can now share your screen using FaceTime on Mac for enhanced collaboration. That said, let me show you how screen sharing works in FaceTime on macOS Monterey.
Share Screen Using FaceTime on Mac (December 2021)
Before we begin, be sure to check the requirements to keep hardware or software incompatibility at bay when using this nifty new FaceTime feature.
How Screen Sharing in FaceTime on Mac Works and What are the Requirements?
Screen sharing in FaceTime in macOS Monterey works pretty much the same as in iOS 15 and iPadOS 15. When you initiate a FaceTime call, you must click the screen share icon to start broadcasting your screen to other people on the call.
As for the requirements, your Apple devices must have macOS 12.1, iOS 15.1 or later, and iPadOS 15.1 or later. It is worth noting that the devices of all participants must be equipped not only with the main computer, but also with supported operating systems.
Can You Use FaceTime Share Screen With Android or Windows Users?
Unfortunately, there is no way to share your screen with Android or Windows users in a FaceTime call. Call it Apple’s old trick to keep notable features exclusive to Apple Device users, or a strategy to persuade non-Apple device users to switch. Although you can now use Apple FaceTime on Android and Windows devices, you have to live with this painful reality, for better or for worse.
Facetime functionality is quite limited on Android and Windows devices. To be more precise, Non-Apple device users are only allowed to join one FaceTime call (audio/ video) via a link. Forget creating a FaceTime call connection. They can’t even participate in any screen sharing or SharePlay-enabled calls. What if the owner of this non-Apple device is a loved one or close friend? Don’t they feel out of your movie night or exciting virtual viewing party powered by SharePlay? Of course they would.
A lightweight FaceTime web app with all the essentials would have been a better option. This would not only provide a great experience to the end user, but would also apply to Apple’s effort to build its video calling app as a compelling alternative to Zoom or Google Meet. With the rest of the world emphasizing on connecting lives during the pandemic, FaceTime seems more disconnected than ever before. Hopefully, Apple will listen to user feedback and fix it soon.
Enable and Use FaceTime Screen Sharing on macOS Monterey
1. Launch the FaceTime app on your Mac to get started.
2. Now, “New FaceTime” and add contact After that you want to share your screen, “Face TimeStart a video call by pressing the ” button. Alternatively, you can also: choose one last person To start a search
3. After the call is connected “SharePlayThe ” icon is in the FaceTime controls overlay. The SharePlay icon is located between the video and end call buttons.
4. Now, you will see two options in the FaceTime menu bar drop-down menu.
- Window: Select to share a specific window or app with others in a FaceTime call.
- Screen: Select to share your entire Mac screen with users in a FaceTime call.
5. Under the “Choose Window or Screen to Share” option in the drop-down menu, select the desired option as per your requirement and you are ready. If you choose the window option, select specific window from apps open in background.
Note that you may be prompted to click “”.Share This Window/ Share This ScreenConfirmation options to start casting your screen as shown in the screenshot above.
How to Change Shared Window in FaceTime on Mac
Especially FaceTime allows you to change the shared window with ease. Simply place the cursor over the thumbnail of the currently shared window in the FaceTime menu bar menu. Next, “Change Shared WindowIt’s under the “Currently Shared Window” section. After that, click on the window you want to share.
How to Stop Window or Screen Sharing in FaceTime on Mac
It’s pretty simple to stop sharing your screen on FaceTime in macOS Monterey. To do this, “Stop Window/Screen SharingPress the ” button on the FaceTime pop-up menu bar.
Learn How to Use Screen Sharing in FaceTime on Mac
Thus, we conclude our guide on how to use screen sharing feature in FaceTime on macOS 12 Monterey. While there’s no denying the fact that FaceTime has always been feature-rich and easy to use, the addition of a native screen sharing feature has made Apple’s video calling app even more capable. My only problem would be that Apple has limited this great new feature to Apple device owners and Android and Windows users are missing out on the fun. What do you think of the redesigned Facetime app and screen sharing feature? Let me know your thoughts in the comments section below.