Facebook Messenger, which has become much more than a simple chat, but a global sharing and communication platform for PC and smartphone, has added a new feature that can become very useful for those who work and very advantageous for those seeking remote technical help: the sharing the screen. And if while on a PC there are many solutions to share the screen remotely, there are not many free applications for Android and iPhone that allow you to show others what appears on the screen of our phone. With this addition, Facebook can certainly compete with popular services such as Zoom, Skype, Google Meet and Microsoft Teams, the most used online video conferencing apps. Messenger screen sharing allows you to instantly broadcast what you see on your screen with friends and family, not only during a video call between two people, but also in group video calls with a maximum of eight people and inside the Messenger Rooms with a maximum of 16 people (which will be brought up to 50 soon).
During a video call, therefore, you can show other people photos from your phone without having to send them, it is possible show what appears on your apps and easily explain the steps to make a particular configuration or to activate hidden options on the phone.
How to share the screen on Messenger
The screen sharing option on Messenger is not seen on the main screen, as it is an internal function of video chat. To use it, therefore, you must first start a video call with a friend or group. Once you are in a video chat, you can swipe up the options tab at the bottom to find the "Share the screen".
The first time you use the feature, a popup appears with essential instructions and you can start sharing if you agree with the conditions.
Once you have turned on screen sharing on Messenger, you need to keep that in mind the phone screen will be visible entirely to the other person on your smartphone, so pay attention to what you are going to see and which apps to open. The transmission of the screen, however, is not immediate, but it starts the moment you open another application or if you press the Home button to go to the home screen of the phone. In essence Messenger does not share itself, therefore it is not possible to show others what you write or do on the same chat.
To stop, just go back to Messenger and press the button to stop sharing. The moment you stop sharing your screen, other people will come back to see what our camera takes immediately, unless you press the button to turn off the video.
Screen sharing doesn't also share audio, so you can continue talking to other people in the video call and you can't share listening to music or watching a movie (there are other apps to watch movies on your smartphone together remotely).
Although this functionality is pretty good, we still remember that there are several others ways to share your mobile screen (with Skype or other apps).
Finally, it is interesting to note that screen sharing can also be obtained from a PC, on the Messenger.com website, by starting a new video call and using the button below with the figure of a screen.
READ ALSO: Share your PC screen: best free apps