8 Best Ways to Fix FaceTime Screen Sharing Not Working on Mac

FaceTime has been improved in iOS 15, iPadOS 15, and macOS Monterey. One of the new features is screen sharing, which lets you share your Mac, iPhone, or iPad screen during a FaceTime call. However, screen sharing may not work on your Mac if it doesn’t meet the requirements. If screen sharing stops working, you may consider using alternatives like Google Meet or Teams. Before switching, you can try the following troubleshooting steps to fix FaceTime screen sharing on Mac.

1. Check Internet Connection

Let’s begin troubleshooting with a simple trick. You can use FaceTime voice calls with a low internet speed. However, for a FaceTime group video call with screen sharing, you need a higher internet speed.

If you have a dual-band or tri-band router, connect your Mac to the 5GHz Wi-Fi frequency for better bandwidth and less congestion compared to the standard 2.4GHz frequency.

2. Give FaceTime Relevant Permission

When attempting to share a screen over a FaceTime call, it’s necessary to enable the relevant permission. If you swipe away the permission prompt, screen sharing will not work. You need to grant screen recording permission to FaceTime in order for the app to read the screen and share it with others during a call.

Here is the simplified step-by-step process:

Step 1: Click the Apple icon in the top-left corner of the menu bar and select System Preferences.

Step 2: In the System Preferences window, go to Security & Privacy.

Step 3: Click the Privacy tab and choose Screen Recording from the left column. To make permission changes for the apps, select the lock icon at the bottom.

Step 4: Open the Applications folder on your Mac by selecting the + icon. Locate FaceTime in the list and select it.

Then, reapply the changes by clicking on the lock icon. If FaceTime was already open, close it and reopen it.

3. Change Display Resolution

FaceTime may have difficulty sharing screens on high-resolution Macs and monitors, especially with a slow internet connection. To address this issue, macOS provides an option to change the display resolution. Here’s how:

1. Open System Preferences on your Mac.

2. Go to Displays.

3. If you have selected the Scaled option under Resolution, choose a lower display resolution.

By reducing the resolution, the text will appear larger, and macOS will adjust to the new display settings.

4. Check Device Support

Apple has expanded FaceTime support to Android and Windows, but without a dedicated app. Android and Windows users can only join a FaceTime call through the web, and they will not have access to features like screen sharing and SharePlay. If someone on Android or Windows joins a FaceTime call, the other participant will be unable to view their screen.

5. Check OS Requirements

FaceTime screen sharing is available on Apple hardware. You need to use iOS 15, iPadOS 15, macOS Monterey 12.0, or higher OS version on iPhone, iPad, and Mac, respectively.

If your FaceTime participant is using an older OS on iPhone, iPad, or Mac, they will need to update the software to the latest available version.

6. Disable and Enable FaceTime on Mac

You can temporarily disable FaceTime and enable it again to remove glitches. But keep in mind that this may take some time and multiple tries to work.

To disable FaceTime:

1. Open FaceTime app on your Mac and click on the FaceTime option in the menu bar.

2. Open the Preferences menu.

Step 3: Disable and then enable FaceTime for your account.

Try making FaceTime calls and sharing the screen.

7. Check Apple System Status Page

Apple’s services often experience downtime. The company provides a system status page to track all services.

Visit the Apple System Status page and check for the green indicator next to FaceTime. If there is a red indicator, it means FaceTime is experiencing issues. Wait for Apple to fix the problem and then try again.

8. Update macOS

Unlike Windows, Apple doesn’t distribute default apps through the Mac App Store. The company fixes bugs and adds new features through OS updates. The recent macOS build may have caused issues with FaceTime on Mac. Apple is quick to fix these problems, and it’s possible that they have already released a macOS build to address the screen sharing problem in FaceTime.

To address this issue, open the System Preferences and navigate to the Software Update section. If there is an update available, install it and allow your Mac to restart.

Enjoy Flawless Screen Sharing on Mac

FaceTime now has screen sharing, so you don’t need to use Zoom, Skype, or TeamViewer. However, if screen sharing fails in FaceTime, follow the above tricks to fix the issue on your Mac.