Do you remember we promised you some useful tips? :)
“That may be,” said the Scarecrow, “but you made a promise. You must keep your promises.”
L. Frank Baum. The Wonderful Wizard of Oz
There are several ways to show what’s on your screen, or screen sharing as it’s more commonly called, on Skype for Business (Microsoft Lync). The easiest way is to install EasyLy and share your screen with it. Just kidding (although there is a grain of truth in every joke ;)). We’ll explain how EasyLy simplifies the process at the end of this post for those who are interested.
Now back to the point. How do you share your screen in Microsoft Lync (Skype for Business)?
The need to share your screen often comes up when you’re making calls or chatting. For these occasions, there is the Present button on the bottom of both modes.
If you click it during a phone or video call, you will see a drop down list:
Image 1. Present button in the call window
Select Present Desktop, or Present Programs if you only want to show one particular program, for instance a PowerPoint presentation, without sharing everything on your desktop.
The steps are the same order when chatting with a colleague but the interface is a little bit different:
Image 2. Present button in chat mode
In the drop down menu, choose the appropriate option:
Image 3. Drop down list of Present options in chat mode
Choose Present Desktop. A window will open (it shows what is going to be shared). Click the Present button. In this case your entire desktop will be shared, which works well if you need to show several apps as you switch between them. Keep in mind that in this mode, you may accidentally share information you did not intend to share. For instance, when you receive an email notification or a private message in Skype, everyone will be able to see it.
Image 4. Present Desktop
As an indicator that screen sharing is enabled, the whole shared area is outlined in a frame. The controls are at the top of the window: you can stop sharing or let the other party remotely work on your desktop.
The other option is Present Programs. As we mentioned before, this is designed for sharing something specific, e.g., a Word document. This way the other party won’t see anything else. When you choose this option, you get a list of programs, from which you can pick the one you want to share. The window is quite convenient; there are thumbnails so you can easily find what you need. Click the last program on the list to start sharing Power Point. 
Image 5. Program navigation window
Only the selected program will be shared. It will be the only one framed. The other party won’t see anything extra like the icons on the task bar. Now, even if you get notifications or switch between different windows, they will only see the contents of the program you’ve chosen to share.
Image 6. Present Program
Present Desktop and Present Programs are the most frequently used screen sharing functions. We will talk about other options later in our blog.
Now, let’s see how it is done in EasyLy. It’s even easier than Skype for Business. All the infrequently used menu options are hidden so you only get the most important ones. EaslyLy is just what you need with nothing extra.
With EasyLy you can share the entire screen right from the chat:
Image. 7. Share main monitor in EasyLy
Or a separate program window:
Image. 8. Program option in EasyLy
You can do the same during a call:
Image. 9. Program option in a call window in EasyLy
The rest is pretty much like in Skype for Business, only faster – there are no additional windows where you need to click confirmation. The control buttons immediately pop up and the window will be outlined in red to indicate that screen sharing is enabled:
Image 10. Screen sharing controls in EasyLy
