In an era where distance interactions are the norm, tools like Meet have become indispensable for meetings, lectures and online presentations. One of the most popular and useful features is the ability to share your screen, allowing participants to view content directly from the host device. If you're wondering how to master this function, you're in the right place. This complete guide will accompany you step by step through the screen sharing modes on Meet, whether you want to include audio or prefer a silent presentation, and will show you the procedures both from computer and smartphones and tablets.
The Essence of the Schermo Sharing in Meet
Screen sharing is a key feature that transforms a simple video call into a dynamic platform for collaboration and teaching. Whether you need to show a document, a presentation, a specific application or even a video, Meet offers the tools to do so with ease. The process varies slightly depending on the device used and the need to include or not audio in the transmission, aspects that we will deepen in the following paragraphs.
Share the Screen with Audio: Aspects and Procedures
Integrating audio into screen sharing can greatly enrich your presentation, allowing you to play videos, music or sounds directly from your device to other participants. However, there are specificities to be known, especially in relation to the type of device and content that you intend to share.
From Computer: A Browser and Content Question
If you use a computer for your meeting on Meet and want to share the screen including audio, it is essential to know that this option is optimally supported only through the Chrome browser and only when the sharing source is a single browser tab. You cannot transmit the audio of the system if you choose to share the entire screen or a specific application. This limit is important to ensure the quality and stability of transmission.
Steps to Audio Sharing from Computers:
- Login to Meet: Launch Google Chrome and connect to the official site of Meet. Make sure you log in with your Google account.
- Start or Join a Meeting: Click on New meeting and select Start a meeting now to create one. If you need to attend an existing meeting, enter the link or code on the main screen and choose Ask to participate or Participate.
- Start Share: Once in the meeting, locate and click on the icon Present now (usually an upward arrow or a rectangle with an arrow) in the menu below.
- Select the Chrome tab: From the drop-down menu that appears, choose the option A Chrome tab. This will allow you to select one of the open tabs in your browser.
- Enable the Audio: Before proceeding, make sure the box Share the audio of the card be selected. This step is crucial to include the audio of the content played on the tab.
- Confirm Sharing: Click on the button Share to start the transmission of the selected card with its audio.
When sharing a card, any multimedia content played (for example, a YouTube video or an audio file from Google Drive) will be transmitted with its audio. You can also turn on or off your voice microphone at any time. To temporarily disable presentation audio without interrupting sharing, you can use the switch Audio presentation (usually visible in a control bar) bringing it from ON to OFF. To complete the sharing, click on the button Interrupt sharing.
From Smartphone and Tablet: Differences between Android and iOS
Screen sharing with audio from mobile devices shows significant distinctions between Android and iOS (iPhone/iPad).
Android devices: Audio via Microphone
On Android devices, the Meet app does not offer a dedicated option for optimized sharing of system audio during screen transmission. Any sound played by the device will be captured and transmitted through the telephone microphone, with a quality that could be poor and potentially disturbed by ambient noise. Although you can turn off the microphone, this will also stop the transmission of your voice and audio of your device.
iPhone and iPad: Audio Optimized
IPhone and iPad users benefit from a specific feature that allows optimized audio transmission directly from the device. This greatly improves the quality of shared audio compared to what can be achieved on Android via the microphone.
Steps for Audio Sharing from Mobile (iPhone/iPad):
- Start or Join a Meeting: Open the Google Meet app. Click on New and then Create a new meeting, followed by Join the meeting and Participate. Or, enter the code or link of an existing meeting via the option Search or enter code.
- Start Share: Once inside the meeting, tap the icon of the three points down to the right.
- Select Share Screen: From the menu that opens, choose the option Share screen.
- Enable Audio (Only iOS): If you have an iPhone or iPad, in the screen Presents to all, make sure you select the box next to Share the audio of your device.
- Start the Transmission: Tape Continue and then Start of transmission (on iOS) or Start sharing and Start now (on Android).
With iPhone/iPad, optimized audio screen sharing also includes your voice, if the microphone is active. By deactivating the microphone from the app, your voice will not only be transmitted but also the audio of the device. Regardless of the device, you can end the screen sharing by returning to Meet app and selecting Interrupt sharing.
Share Audioless Screen: Focus on Visual Content
There are situations where audio sharing is not necessary or is even not recommended, for example to avoid distractions or to maintain an exclusive focus on visual content. Meet offers two main ways to share your screen without audio.
Method 1: Manual activation of the Microphone
This is the most flexible solution and can be applied at any time during a meeting, both from computer and from mobile devices.
From Computer:
- Start or Join a Meeting: Access Meet as usual.
- Start Share: Click on Present now (the icon with the arrow upwards).
- Select Source: Choose whether to share Your entire screen, A window or A Chrome tab.
- Share: Click on the button Share.
- Disable Microphone: To ensure that no audio is transmitted, click on the microphone icon in Meet’s bottom bar to disable it.
If you’re sharing a Chrome tab, remember to uncheck the option Share the audio of the card before starting sharing, or moving the lever Audio presentation from ON to OFF if you have already begun to share.
From Smartphone and Tablet:
Access the meeting as usual and follow the steps to share the screen as described in the previous section. Once you start sharing, tap the microphone icon to turn it off. This will prevent the transmission of both your voice and any sound coming from the device.
Method 2: The “Present” Mode (Available Before Accessing Reunion)
The “Presenta” mode is a specific option that allows you to access a meeting directly as a presenter, with the default deactivated microphone and without the ability to reactivate it during the presentation. This mode is ideal when your only purpose is to show visual content.
From Computer:
- Create a Link for a Future Reunion: From Meet's main page, click on New meeting and choose Create a meeting to start at a later time. Copy the generated link.
- Log in to Presentation Mode: Use the link to access the meeting. On the access screen (where you would usually appear “Ask to participate”), select the option Present.
- Select Source: Choose what you want to share (full screen, window or Chrome tab).
- Start the Transmission: Click on Share. Your screen will be transmitted without audio, and the microphone will be disabled automatically.
This mode is also available to attend meetings organized by others: enter the link or meeting code and select Present in the pre-entry screen. Even in this case, if you share a Chrome tab, remember to manually turn off the option Share the audio of the card.
From Smartphone and Tablet:
Also from mobile devices you can enter presentation mode:
- Access the Meeting: On the access screen of a meeting (both created by you with future and existing links), tap the option to participate.
- Select Share Screen: On the next screen, press the buttons Share screen and then Continue.
- Start the Transmission: Follow the instructions to start the transmission of your screen. Also in this case, the microphone will be disabled.
As an alternative to the “Presenta” mode, you can always access the meeting normally and manually disable your microphone as described in the “Metodo 1” to get a screen sharing without audio.
End Screen Sharing
Regardless of the mode or device used, interrupting the screen sharing is simple. During the transmission, a control bar will appear (usually up or down on the screen, depending on the device). Click or tap the button Interrupt sharing to return to the normal viewing of the meeting. The pass will be instantaneous, and you can continue the meeting or start another sharing.
Final considerations
The ability to share the screen on Meet is a powerful resource that facilitates communication and collaboration in virtual environments. Understanding the different options for audio management and specific procedures for each type of device will allow you to conduct more effective and professional presentations. Experience the various ways to find the one that best suits your needs and maximizes the potential of this tool.
