Screen Sharing

Share your screen, a window, or a browser tab directly to the Kolab canvas. Participants see what you're sharing as a canvas element, making it easy to demonstrate software, present content, or show live work.

Before sharing: Run System Check to verify your setup.

Important: Screen sharing only works in Interactive (Spatial) mode. It's not available in Conference or Sidebar modes.

Starting a Screen Share

How to Share

1. Look for the Screen Share button (desktop/monitor icon) in the video control bar
2. Click it to open your browser's sharing dialog
3. Choose what to share:
   • Entire Screen - Everything on your display
   • Window - Single application window
   • Browser Tab - Single tab (Chrome/Edge)
4. Select the specific screen/window/tab
5. Click Share

Your screen share appears as an element on the canvas.

Who Can Screen Share

Any participant can screen share—there are no role-based restrictions. If you need to control who can share, communicate this expectation to participants before the session.

What Participants See

Your screen share appears:

• As an element on the canvas (similar to an image or embed)
• At a default position (100, 100) with size 250×141 pixels
• Other participants can see it in real-time
• The element can be moved and resized
• Multiple people can share simultaneously (each creates a new element)

Sharing Options

Entire Screen

Best for:

• Showing multiple applications
• Demonstrating desktop workflows
• When you'll switch between apps

Considerations:

• Participants see EVERYTHING (notifications, etc.)
• Close or minimize sensitive content first
• Hide desktop icons if cluttered

Application Window

Best for:

• Focused demonstrations
• Single app workflows
• Cleaner presentation

Considerations:

• Only that window is shared
• Switching apps may hide the content
• Better privacy than full screen

Browser Tab

Best for:

• Web-based demonstrations
• Specific website content
• Videos with audio

Considerations:

• Only available in Chrome/Edge
• Other tabs remain private
• Best option for sharing audio content

Audio with Screen Share

Screen sharing in Kolab includes audio by default. When you share your screen, any audio from your computer is also shared with participants.

This is useful for:

• Sharing videos with sound
• Playing audio from applications
• Demonstrating multimedia content

Screen Share on Canvas

As a Canvas Element

Your screen share becomes a canvas element:

• Has position (x, y coordinates)
• Can be resized using corner handles
• Can be moved by dragging
• Appears among other canvas elements

Default Placement

• First screen share appears at position (100, 100)
• Additional shares are placed below with 15px spacing
• Default size: 250×141 pixels (16:9 aspect ratio)

Stopping the Share

1. Click the Screen Share button again (now shows slash icon), OR
2. Use browser's "Stop sharing" notification, OR
3. Close the shared window/tab

When stopped, the screen share element disappears from the canvas.

Mode Requirements

Screen sharing only works in Interactive (Spatial) mode.

If you need to share your screen, make sure your space is in Interactive mode first.

Screen Sharing and Breakout Rooms

Important: Screen sharing automatically stops when:

• You join a breakout room
• You return from a breakout room to the main space

This is by design—start a new screen share once you're in your destination room.

Screen shares are only visible to participants in the same room (main space or specific breakout room).

Best Practices

Before Sharing

1. Close sensitive content - Personal info, notifications
2. Clean your desktop - Minimize clutter
3. Check resolution - Higher res = clearer for participants
4. Enable Do Not Disturb - Prevent notification interruptions
5. Close unnecessary apps - Reduce distractions

During Sharing

1. Narrate what you're doing - "I'm clicking on Settings now..."
2. Move deliberately - Fast movements are hard to follow
3. Pause on important screens - Give people time to read
4. Check participant questions - They may not see what you see

Screen Share Etiquette

Do:

• Announce before starting: "I'm going to share my screen now"
• Check it's visible: "Can everyone see my screen?"
• Describe what you're showing
• Stop when done

Don't:

• Leave sharing on accidentally
• Show sensitive information
• Rush through content
• Assume everyone can see clearly

Troubleshooting

"Share button doesn't appear"

1. Verify you're in Interactive mode (not Conference or Sidebar)
2. Check browser supports screen sharing
3. Try Chrome or Firefox (best support)
4. Refresh the page

"Participants can't see my share"

1. Verify sharing is active (button should show slash icon)
2. Check the element is on the visible canvas area
3. Ask participants to zoom out or navigate to find it
4. Make sure they're in the same room (main space or breakout)

"Screen share is laggy"

1. Close unnecessary applications
2. Reduce screen resolution temporarily
3. Check internet connection
4. Share a window instead of full screen
5. Close other video-heavy content

"I shared the wrong screen/window"

1. Stop the current share (click button or browser notification)
2. Start a new share
3. Select the correct screen/window

"Share stopped unexpectedly"

1. If you joined/left a breakout room, this is expected behavior
2. Start a new share after the transition
3. Check browser permissions weren't revoked

Screen Share vs. Other Options

When to Use Each

Screen share:

• Live software demonstrations
• Walking through a process
• Showing content not easily embedded
• Spontaneous "let me show you"

Embed:

• YouTube videos
• Google Slides presentations
• Persistent reference content

Image:

• Static diagrams
• Screenshots for reference
• Content that doesn't change

Privacy When Sharing

What's Visible

Everything in your shared screen/window/tab:

• Application content
• Browser bookmarks (if browser window)
• Desktop items (if full screen)
• Notifications (unless disabled)

Protecting Privacy

1. Use window share - Only that app visible
2. Use tab share - Only that tab visible
3. Enable Do Not Disturb - Block notifications
4. Close personal tabs - Before sharing browser
5. Create sharing profile - Browser with only work bookmarks

Related Guides

• Embeds - Embedding web content
• Visual Effects - Video settings
• Space Modes Explained - Understanding modes
• System Check - Verify your setup