Slack Screen Sharing in Calls

Screen sharing lets everyone on a Slack call see your screen in real time. You can walk teammates through a design, debug code together, review a document, or give a presentation — all without anyone needing to leave Slack.

What You Can Share

SCREEN SHARE OPTIONS

  YOUR ENTIRE SCREEN    → Shows everything on your monitor
                          (all apps, windows, notifications)

  A SPECIFIC WINDOW     → Shows only one app (e.g., Chrome)
                          Other windows stay private

  A BROWSER TAB         → Shows only one browser tab
                          (Chrome/Edge only, via browser extension)

Sharing a specific window is the safest option for professional settings. Your other open tabs, chat notifications, and desktop files stay hidden from participants.

How to Share Your Screen

1. Start or join a Slack call or Huddle.
2. In the call controls panel, click the Share Screen icon (🖥️).
3. A dialog appears asking what you want to share: Entire Screen, Window, or Tab.
4. Select your choice and click Share (or your OS may show a permission prompt).
5. Your screen appears live for all call participants.

SCREEN SHARE FLOW

  Click Share Screen (🖥️)
         ↓
  Choose: Entire Screen / Window / Tab
         ↓
  Grant OS permission (macOS: System Preferences)
         ↓
  Your screen streams to all participants ✓
         ↓
  Click "Stop Sharing" to end the share

First-Time Setup on macOS

macOS requires you to grant screen recording permission to Slack before it can share your screen. The first time you try:

1. Slack opens System Preferences → Privacy → Screen Recording.
2. Check the box next to Slack.
3. Restart Slack.
4. Try sharing again — it works from now on.

How Screen Sharing Looks for Viewers

VIEWER'S CALL PANEL (during screen share)

  ┌────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
  │  [Alice's Screen]                                  │
  │                                                    │
  │   ← Alice's desktop/window appears here →          │
  │                                                    │
  │  🔍 [Zoom in]  [Request control]  [Annotate]       │
  └────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘

  Small thumbnails of participant videos appear in the
  corner so everyone stays visible during the share.

Requesting Remote Control

Participants can request control of the presenter's screen. If the presenter approves, the requester can click and type on the shared screen as if they were sitting at the presenter's computer. This feature is useful for:

• IT support taking control to fix a colleague's issue remotely.
• Pair programming where both developers need to type.
• Helping a teammate navigate software they are not familiar with.

The presenter retains full control and can revoke the remote access at any time by clicking Revoke Control.

Annotation During Screen Sharing

Click the Annotate option (available in some Slack versions and plans) to draw on top of the shared screen. Use annotation to highlight areas, circle important items, or draw diagrams directly over the content you are presenting. All participants see your annotations in real time.

Best Practices for Screen Sharing

DO                                DO NOT
─────────────────────────────     ──────────────────────────────────
Share a specific window only      Share your full screen if you have
                                  personal information open
Close unneeded tabs first         Leave personal emails or chats
                                  visible to participants
Mute your mic when not            Forget about notification pop-ups
speaking                          appearing on screen
Use a second monitor for          Share a low-resolution or cluttered
personal items if available       desktop without preparing first
Test sharing before the call      Assume screenshare worked without
starts                            asking participants to confirm

Hiding Notifications During a Screen Share

Before sharing, enable Do Not Disturb mode to prevent notification pop-ups appearing on your screen. On macOS, enable Focus mode. On Windows, enable Focus Assist. This prevents private messages or embarrassing pop-ups from appearing in front of your entire audience.

Stopping a Screen Share

Click the Stop Sharing button in the Slack call panel or in the screen share toolbar that appears at the top of your screen. Your screen immediately becomes private again. The call continues normally after you stop sharing.

Key Takeaways

• Click the Share Screen icon during any Slack call or Huddle to start sharing.
• Share a specific window rather than your entire screen for better privacy.
• Grant macOS Screen Recording permission to Slack the first time you share.
• Participants can request remote control of your screen if you approve it.
• Enable Do Not Disturb before sharing to keep private notifications off your screen.