To share your screen on FaceTime, start a call, open the call controls, select Screen Sharing and choose Share My Screen. On some versions the sharing control appears directly in the call toolbar; on newer layouts it can be inside the More menu. Wait for the countdown, then open the app or page you want the other person to see.
Screen sharing is useful when you are explaining a setting, reviewing a webpage together or showing someone where you are stuck. It is different from giving the other person remote control. You can show your screen and keep control of your own device.
Prepare the device and the call
Check that both participants are using devices and software that support the FaceTime feature. Apple notes that availability can vary by country or region. A participant joining through a browser may not have the same features as someone using the FaceTime app on a supported Apple device.
Before starting, open the material you want to discuss and close unrelated documents. Decide what you need to show. If you are explaining how to organize photos, a small album of example images is easier to follow than searching through a full personal library during the call. If the intended destination is a television or other compatible display, AirPlay on iPhone is a different sharing route from a FaceTime call.
Ask the other person to confirm that they are ready to view the screen. This avoids beginning a demonstration while they are still adjusting audio or moving between devices. A clear spoken description of the task also helps when the shared image is temporarily small or slow to update.
Start sharing from your iPhone
- Start or answer the FaceTime call.
- Tap the screen to reveal call controls if they are hidden.
- Open the sharing control. In the layout described by Apple’s current iPhone guide, tap More, then Screen Sharing.
- Choose Share My Screen and wait for the countdown.
- Go to the app, document or webpage you want to demonstrate.
The other person should now see the shared content. Ask them to describe what is visible before beginning important steps. Follow Apple’s screen-sharing guide if your controls differ; older software may use a Share Content button instead.
Move slowly through the demonstration. If you tap three menus in quick succession, the viewer may lose track even when the connection works correctly. Say the name of the control before selecting it and pause after each important change.
Stop sharing without guessing whether it ended
Return to the FaceTime controls, open the sharing controls and choose the option to stop screen sharing. In the current iPhone guide, this is Stop next to Screen Sharing in the More menu. Ending the FaceTime call also ends screen sharing.
Check that the sharing indicator has disappeared. If you are continuing the conversation, ask the other person to confirm that your screen is no longer visible before opening unrelated material. This is a useful habit whenever a meeting includes private information after a demonstration.
Stopping the camera is not the same as stopping a shared screen. Treat the screen-sharing control as its own feature and explicitly end it when the task is finished.
Understand what screen sharing exposes
Apple’s screen-sharing and screen-control safety guide explains that the other person can see most on-screen content, while certain information and protected media are restricted. Apple also distinguishes viewing from remote control. Read those protections as specific limits, not a reason to open every private app during a call.
A good practical rule is to show only what the conversation needs. If a webpage includes an account number beside the setting you want to explain, prepare a safer example or describe the control verbally. If you need to enter sensitive information, stop sharing, complete the private step and resume only if necessary.
Consider what the other person might capture independently. A shared screen can be photographed by another device even if you do not intentionally send a file. Ask permission before displaying someone else’s messages or photographs, and avoid showing information you would not want copied.
Keep remote control separate from viewing
Supported versions can allow a participant to request control during a one-to-one call. Approving that request gives them more ability than simply seeing the display. Apple describes actions such as opening apps and changing settings as part of screen control, with some restrictions.
You do not need to grant control to follow spoken instructions. If a family member is helping, ask them to name the next button while you tap it yourself. This also helps you learn the process instead of watching someone complete it too quickly to understand.
If you choose to allow control, agree on the task first and stay present. End control when that task is complete. Never grant access merely because an unexpected caller claims that your device needs urgent repair. Contact a service through a trusted official route if you need to confirm who is helping.
If the screen-sharing option is missing
First confirm that you are in a FaceTime call and looking at the call controls, not the ordinary contact page. Tap the screen and check the More or sharing menu. Compare the interface with the guide for your installed software version.
Check for software updates on both devices and verify feature availability for the way each participant joined. If one person is using a web link, testing a call between supported Apple devices can help establish whether the issue is a feature limitation rather than a fault with the phone.
If the button exists but the other person sees nothing, stop sharing and try again after both participants confirm the call is stable. Open a simple webpage as a test. A particular app or protected video may behave differently from ordinary screen content.
If the image freezes or the call becomes difficult to follow
Pause the demonstration and describe the last screen the viewer can see. Check whether audio is also interrupted. That distinction helps you decide whether to retry sharing, reopen the call or investigate the network connection.
Try a more stable connection if available, and reduce unrelated network activity while testing. Avoid changing multiple settings at once. A brief test with a static page is more useful than repeatedly restarting a complicated demonstration.
For an urgent task, a redacted screenshot or a written sequence of steps may be easier than a poor live connection. Choose the method that lets both people understand the task clearly; the goal is successful communication, not keeping a particular feature running at any cost.
Frequently asked questions
Does screen sharing let the other person control my iPhone?
Viewing and remote control are separate. A supported remote-control request requires an additional decision. Keep control yourself if you only want to demonstrate something.
Can I share a subscription movie by showing my screen?
Ordinary screen sharing does not bypass protected-content restrictions. Use a service’s supported shared-viewing features and check the access requirements for each participant.
Does ending the FaceTime call stop sharing?
Yes. You can also stop screen sharing while keeping the call open by using its sharing controls.
Why does my menu look different from a tutorial?
Apple has changed control placement between software versions. Look for Screen Sharing or Share Content and consult the guide for your device version rather than matching an old screenshot exactly.
Video walkthrough
This related walkthrough from Technomentary provides a visual companion. App layouts and available controls can change between versions; use the instructions above and the linked official documentation for the options on your device.
Featured photo: Photo by Vojtech Bruzek on Unsplash.
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