How do I enable desktop sharing in Microsoft Teams?

Desktop sharing is the popular feature of Teams. Desktop sharing allows users to present a desktop or application during a Teams meeting or chat. Teams Admins can configure desktop sharing in Microsoft Teams to let users share an entire desktop, an app, or a file.

While sharing desktop, it allows users to give or request control, allow PowerPoint sharing, add a whiteboard, and allow shared notes. Admin can also configure whether anonymous or external users can request control of the shared desktop. Remember, Skype for Business and Microsoft Teams client works side by side until Admin migrate users account to Teams only mode where users, presence, IM, call etc. goes in Teams only. Also, both clients don’t conflict with each other for any feature.

If you want to configure custom screen sharing, then you need to create a new meetings policy and then assign it to the users you want to manage. You can create meeting policy using Teams and Skype admin center (GUI) or through PowerShell.

Let’s create meeting policy using Teams admin center:

1. Log on to Teams Admin portal (https://admin.teams.microsoft.com/) then Select Meetings > Meeting policies.
2. On the Meeting policies page, select New policy.
3. Give your policy a unique title and enter a brief description.
4. Under Content sharing, choose a Screen sharing mode from the drop-down list: select the appropriate option. I selected as “Entire screen”.
   1. Entire screen – lets users share their entire desktop.
   1. Single application – lets users limit screen sharing to a single active application.
   2. Disabled – Turns off screen sharing. Refer below image.

1. Turn the following settings on or off:
   1. Allow a participant to give or request control – lets members of the team give or request control of the presenter’s desktop or application.
   1. Allow an external participant to give or request control – lets guests and external (federated) users give or request control of the presenter’s desktop or application.
   1. Allow PowerPoint sharing – lets users create meetings that allow PowerPoint presentations to be uploaded and shared.
   1. Allow whiteboard – lets users share a whiteboard.
   1. Allow shared notes – lets users take shared notes.
2. Click Save. Refer below image.

Create meeting policy to configure desktop sharing using PowerShell:

You can also use the Set-CsTeamsMeetingPolicy cmdlet to control desktop sharing. If you want to create new policy, then use New-CsTeamsMeetingPolicy. Cmdlet. Refer below cmdlet as Example.

New-CsTeamsMeetingPolicy -Identity MeetingPolicy -Description “This is Conference Room policy” -ScreenSharingMode “EntireScreen” -AutoAdmittedUsers “Everyone” AllowTranscription $false -AllowMeetNow $True -AllowParticipantGiveRequestControl $True

Here is the additional option for this command.

• Description
• ScreenSharingMode
• AllowParticipantGiveRequestControl
• AllowExternalParticipantGiveRequestControl
• AllowPowerPointSharing
• AllowWhiteboard
• AllowSharedNotes

To assign the policy to individual who want to use desktop sharing use cmdlet as “Grant-CsTeamsMeetingPolicy” and then assign the newly create policy.

Note: As end-user you cannot enable desktop however you can request your organization admin to enable desktop sharing.

Thank you.