Screen sharing enables a support agent to see the user's screen and helps them troubleshoot, demonstrate and guide them through processes. While there are some advantages to traditional screen sharing, tools such as cobrowsing enable a more focused and secure approach to collaboration within a website or application.
In this guide, we'll explore how screen-sharing technologies work, what they should be used for, and what the risks and limitations are. Finally, we'll look at some of the factors that should inform the choice of software for a business.
What is screen sharing?
Screen sharing is a collaboration mode where one person can view the contents of another person's screen. Depending on the tool, it can include sharing an entire desktop, a specific application, a browser tab, or a focused interaction within a website or web application.
How does screen sharing work?
At a basic level, screen sharing captures what's on your screen, encodes it into a video stream, sends that stream to the viewer, and renders it on their device. The specifics vary by tool and by how much of your screen you choose to expose, but the underlying technology is fairly consistent across most screen-sharing software.
Screen sharing vs remote desktop vs cobrowsing
When people talk about screen sharing, they may mean different things: viewing another person's desktop, a remote desktop access tool, or a collaborative browsing tool. Understanding the differences between them is critical to selecting the right tool for a specific use case.
Screen sharing
Screen sharing typically enables a viewer to see what another person sees on their screen, although what they can do ranges from view-only, to limited interaction, to full control, depending on the software.
Remote desktop and screen control
Remote desktop screen sharing includes tools where the viewer has permission to take over the user's computer. They may not be limited to just seeing what the user sees, but may also be able to interact with and change the desktop. This is a stronger permission level than screen sharing, and provides more power than what is typically needed for most customer support use cases.
Cobrowsing
Cobrowsing tools enable the agent to collaborate with the customer within a specific website or web application rather than viewing whatever is on the customer's desktop.
For a more detailed discussion of the differences, see Cobrowsing vs Screen Sharing: What's the Difference?
Screen sharing for customer support
Troubleshooting customer issues
Being able to view the customer's screen can be helpful in identifying a problem or guiding them to the correct solution. Screen sharing can help a support agent see the issue first-hand and give them the ability to guide the customer through a step-by-step solution.
It can also highlight user interface problems or usability issues that the customer may have trouble describing. It can be particularly useful for reproducing an issue, especially if it is browser-specific. Screen sharing can also reduce back-and-forth communication when troubleshooting an issue.
Customer onboarding
Screen sharing can also be helpful in onboarding a new customer to a product, helping them to configure the product for their specific use case, or demonstrating a more involved feature or workflow.
Technical support
For more technical issues, visual access to a customer's desktop or application can help a support engineer identify the problem, such as an error message, UI misconfiguration, unexpected behaviour, or browser-specific issues.
For cases where the team needs to understand what happened before the support interaction started, session replay can provide that historical context, something a live screen-sharing session, by definition, can't.
How screen sharing helps customer support teams
Resolve complex issues in real time
Some issues are difficult to describe or resolve through text. Being able to see what is happening can often speed up the support process and get the customer back to using the product.
Reduce back-and-forth
Using screen sharing can often eliminate multiple support tickets or back-and-forth communication when trying to identify an issue.
Improve customer experience
Solving issues more quickly and reducing the friction of resolving an issue can have a positive impact on the support experience, although not all issues are suitable for a screen sharing session.
Guide customers through complex workflows
In addition to troubleshooting, screen sharing can also be useful when guiding the customer through a more involved process, such as filling out a form, setting up a new account, or navigating a complex UI.
Limitations and risks of screen sharing
Privacy and sensitive information
When customers share their entire desktop, the support agent has access to anything on that desktop. This could include financial information, private messages, unrelated applications or tabs, or other sensitive information.
For more information, read our detailed guide on “Is Screen Sharing Safe?”
Security and compliance
In addition to the privacy risks, organisations using screen sharing for customers should consider the security and compliance implications, including masking of sensitive information, consent requirements, storage and retention of session information, and general security controls.
Downloads and tool switching
A traditional screen-sharing session may require the customer to install software, switch away from the application they were using, and accept additional prompts or authentication before the session can begin.
Limited historical context
A screen-sharing session only shows what is happening at the moment, not what happened before the session began. Often, the historical context is important to understanding the issue. For example, a customer may report an issue that happened before the screen sharing session was initiated. In these cases, a session replay tool can provide the historical context that a live screen sharing session cannot.
That means there are three different tools for three different purposes: session replay to investigate what happened, cobrowsing to guide the customer through an in-app experience, and screen sharing for when a customer needs to show something or troubleshoot a specific issue.
Screen sharing requirements
Most screen-sharing tools need a stable internet connection, a compatible browser or device, the screen-sharing software itself (installed or browser-based), and the right permissions granted on the sharer's side.
Browser-based screen sharing
Not all screen sharing works the same way. Some tools require a full desktop download. Others run entirely in the browser, with no installation needed. A third category is embedded directly inside a web application, so the customer never leaves the product or page they're already on. For customer support specifically, that last category tends to create the least friction, since there's nothing extra for the customer to install or navigate to.
Screen sharing on different devices
Desktop screen sharing
Both Windows and macOS computers have native or third-party support for screen sharing. Most tools will support either operating system without significant differences in functionality.
Mobile screen sharing
iOS and Android both support screen sharing, although the specific process for initiating a session may vary between the two.
How to choose screen sharing software
A useful way to evaluate options is to work through five practical questions rather than just comparing feature lists.
Security and privacy
Look for encryption, data masking, access controls, clear consent mechanisms, compliance certifications relevant to your industry, and a defined data retention policy.
Customer support workflow
Check whether the tool integrates with your existing helpdesk, supports one-click session initiation, allows easy customer invitations, and keeps context tied to the original support ticket.
Interaction and control
Consider what level of interaction you actually need: basic screen sharing, full screen control, annotation tools, or cobrowsing for a more focused, in-app collaboration.
Deployment
Browser-based, no-download access tends to reduce friction significantly compared to tools that require the customer to install something first. Embedded, in-app options go a step further.
Recording and session history
If your team needs a record of sessions for QA, training, or troubleshooting context later, check what recording and playback capabilities are included and how that data is stored.
Screen sharing tools for different use cases
Each tool serves a different purpose, so it can be helpful to evaluate them based on their intended use rather than looking at a generic list of features. For example, not all tools are intended for customer support.
Fullview for customer support
Fullview is built specifically around support and product use cases, session context tied to a customer, embedded cobrowsing, and troubleshooting inside the actual product rather than a generic meeting environment.
Zoom for meetings and collaboration
Zoom is primarily a meetings and video conferencing tool. While it includes screen sharing capabilities, it is not the primary focus of the product.
Microsoft Teams for workplace collaboration
Microsoft Teams serves a similar purpose within the Microsoft ecosystem, primarily for meetings and collaboration rather than customer support.
Google Meet for video meetings
Google Meet focuses on video meetings and screen sharing in general, without specific support for embedded use in a customer-facing application.
TeamViewer for remote device access
TeamViewer is strongly associated with full remote device access rather than lightweight screen sharing. It's a different model entirely, built for IT teams that need to control a device, not for support agents guiding a customer through a web app.
Why Fullview for customer support screen sharing?
Start screen sharing inside your website or app
Since Fullview runs within the website or application, customers don't need to download or install anything in order to begin.
Go beyond screen sharing with cobrowsing
Traditional screen sharing can expose the entire desktop to the agent. Fullview Cobrowsing narrows the focus to the specific website or application so the agent can work directly within the product alongside the customer.
Connect live support with session context
Screen sharing can help the agent resolve the issue, but Fullview Session Replay can help the team understand what led up to the issue in the first place.
Support privacy and compliance
Consider your specific privacy and compliance needs and verify that the tool you select has the capabilities you need and the certifications that are relevant to your industry. This can include masking sensitive information, access controls, and consent management.
Frequently asked questions
Is screen sharing safe for customer support?
It can be, provided the session is secured, access is limited to what's necessary, and sensitive information is kept out of view
What is the difference between screen sharing and cobrowsing?
Screen sharing can show an entire desktop or window. Cobrowsing narrows the focus to a specific website or application so the agent and customer can work together inside the experience rather than looking at the whole desktop.
What is the difference between screen sharing and remote desktop access?
Screen sharing is primarily about visibility, what the viewer can see depends on the tool. Remote desktop access goes further, allowing another person to actually control the device, often beyond the specific app involved in the support issue.
Can customer support agents control a customer's screen?
It depends on the tool. Some screen sharing tools are strictly for viewing, while others allow the viewer to make changes. Cobrowsing tools typically allow the viewer to interact with the experience, but not control the device itself.
Does screen sharing expose a customer's entire desktop?
Often, yes. Unless limited by the customer or the tool, screen sharing can allow the viewer to see everything that is on the screen. This is a privacy concern, and is part of the reason that cobrowsing was developed as an alternative.
What should businesses look for in screen sharing software?
Security and privacy features, how well it fits an existing support workflow, the level of interaction and control needed, deployment friction (downloads versus browser-based versus embedded), and whether session recording is available for QA or training.
Can screen sharing work without downloading software?
Yes. Some tools are browser-based, or can be embedded directly into a website or application rather than requiring the customer to download and launch a separate application.
.webp)
