Enhancing Your Voice Chats
Discord began as a niche chat application for PC gamers, allowing them to coordinate strategies via voice chat without slowing down their computers. Today, it has evolved into one of the most powerful communication platforms on the internet, used by study groups, remote work teams, and hobbyist communities across the globe.
One of Discord’s most powerful features is its built-in screen sharing capability. Whether you want to stream your gameplay to your friends, present a slideshow for a university project, or get help troubleshooting a software bug, Discord allows you to broadcast exactly what is on your screen with virtually no delay. Best of all, this feature is completely free and requires no additional software or complicated setup.
However, many new users find the screen sharing menu slightly confusing, as Discord offers two distinctly different ways to share: you can broadcast your entire monitor, or you can broadcast one specific application. Choosing the wrong method can result in embarrassing privacy leaks or missing audio.
How to Start Sharing Your Screen (Desktop App)
The instructions below apply to the Discord desktop application on both Windows and macOS, as well as the web browser version.
- Open Discord and join a Voice Channel (indicated by a speaker icon) or start a private voice call with a friend.
- Once you are connected to the call, look at the call control panel located in the bottom-left corner of the window (just above your username).
- Click the Share Your Screen icon (it looks like a computer monitor with an arrow pointing out of it).
- A new window will pop up asking what you want to share. You will see two main tabs at the top: Applications and Screens.
- If you select the “Applications” tab: You can choose one specific program that is currently open on your computer (for example, a game, a web browser, or a Word document). If you choose this method, your friends will only see that specific window. If you drag another window on top of it, they will not see it.
- If you select the “Screens” tab: You can choose to broadcast your entire monitor. Your friends will see exactly what you see, including your desktop wallpaper, taskbar, and any notifications that pop up.
- Click on the application or screen you wish to share.
- A final confirmation window will appear. Here you can adjust your stream quality (resolution and frame rate). If you have a free Discord account, your stream will be capped at 720p and 30 frames per second.
- Click the blue Go Live button.
A small floating window will appear in Discord showing a preview of what you are broadcasting. When you are finished, click the Stop Streaming icon (the monitor with an X through it) in the bottom-left control panel.
Crucial Warning Regarding Audio
The most common mistake users make when sharing their screen is selecting the wrong sharing method when they want to share audio (like watching a YouTube video together or streaming a game).
If you want your friends to hear the audio from the program you are sharing, you must share a specific Application. If you choose to share your entire Screen, Discord will only capture the video; it will not capture the desktop audio. This is a deliberate design choice by Discord to prevent feedback loops and accidental audio leaks, but it frequently catches new users off guard.
Note: If you are using a Mac, sharing application audio requires installing a small system extension the first time you try to use it. Discord will automatically prompt you to install this extension when you attempt to share an application with audio.
How to Share Your Screen on Mobile (iOS and Android)
You can also broadcast the screen of your smartphone or tablet, which is incredibly useful for showing someone a photo gallery or asking for help with a mobile app.
- Join a voice call in the Discord mobile app.
- Swipe up from the bottom of the screen to reveal the expanded call controls.
- Tap the Share Screen button (the mobile phone with an arrow).
- Your phone’s operating system will display a security warning, reminding you that everything on your screen (including incoming text messages and passwords) will be visible.
- Tap Start Broadcast (on iOS) or Start Now (on Android).
To stop broadcasting from your phone, tap the red “Stop Sharing” button located in the Discord call menu, or tap the red recording indicator at the top of your phone’s screen.
