WhatsApp Screen Sharing Is Here. A Guide On How It Works

To recall, WhatsApp's beta programme introduced a screen-sharing feature in the middle of last year.

Meta-owned WhatsApp is now letting users share screen during video calls. ( Image Source :ABP Live )

Meta-owned WhatsApp is now letting users share screen during video calls. The world's most-popular messaging platform has enabled the ability to share screen during WhatsApp video calls, which is a very useful addition. The company made the feature official on Friday (January 26). WhatsApp's official WhatsApp channel informed users about the feature being available in the country.

To recall, WhatsApp's beta programme introduced a screen-sharing feature in the middle of last year, letting users share their phone screens during video calls.

Here's a step-by-step guide on how sharing screen during video WhatsApp calls works

• Open WhatsApp and go to the bottom tab.
• Locate the new icon next to the camera switch option.
• Click on the icon to activate the screen-share feature.
• After a pop-up box appears, you'll see a warning about your phone being cast.
• Tap on "Start Now" to start screen sharing.
• Receive a message confirming: "You're sharing your screen," indicating successful activation.

What Is WhatsApp Screen Sharing Feature

WhatsApp's screen-sharing feature essentially mirrors the capabilities of video-calling platforms like Google Meet and Zoom, which shot to popularity when Coronavirus pandemic began in 2020. This functionality allows users to share their screens during meetings, enabling others to view presentations, videos, or photos. By providing this capability, Meta-owned WhatsApp is aiming to establish itself as a compelling alternative to videoconferencing applications such as Google Meet, Cisco Webex and Zoom.

Meanwhile, WhatsApp is working to introduce a file-sharing system similar to Android's Nearby Share and Apple's AirDrop. This feature is said to let WhatsApp users to exchange files seamlessly and WhatsApp's version of 'Nearby Share' will let users send and recieve end-to-end encrypted files, according to Wabetainfo.

As per Wabetainfo, the upcoming file-sharing feature on WhatsApp will resemble Android's Nearby Share feature and Apple's AirDrop feature. However, the feature is in the development stage and not yet available for beta testing. The discovery was made in the WhatsApp beta for Android version 2.24.2.20 and the screenshots provided by the WhatsApp beta testing site give a glimpse of its potential appearance upon release.