Share screen issues

[AdminBASW]

Hi

Big problems in our webinar broadcast on Zoom this morning.  I was sharing my screen playing a pre-recorded video. During that session, I was to attend to Chat input, but every time I opened Chat, this happened – this is what the audience saw.  It isn’t the first time either.  Can you tell me what it is, why it happens and how to avoid this happening again, please?

[TomO]

Hello,

   Sorry you're having issues. By default the Zoom app isn't shared. I always share just the application in a meeting. It keeps things like this or other popups from showing. The application you're sharing can be a window on your desktop rather than full screen this way. It will show full screen in the webinar even if it's just a small window to you. 

Hope that helps!

[AdminBASW]

Hi Tom

Thank you for replying and so quickly too,  but I'm afraid I don't really understand what you mean.  I don't know about applications. 

I opened the video I had on Windows Media Player.  I then chose "share screen" (green box with arrow), selected the image in the tray that was Windows Media Player showing my video, clicked the share sound and optimize boxes and pressed play.   I've done it many times with no issues but on this, and two other occasions, as I've accessed Chat, a black rectangle is visible and I don't really understand why that happens sometimes.  

I assumed using "share screen" shares that particular "screen", that is, the Windows Media Player as it appears on my machine and in the share screen "tray", to the audience, in isolation from anything else going on on Zoom.  It has done that in the past - I have been able to run a video and access Chat, Q&As etc no problem.   but sometimes it hasn't worked like that. Like yesterday.

Running an event with one host or presenter is going to be problematical if this continues as I'll need to bring in others to assist and I don't always have that option.  I don't know how to share a screen not using "share screen". 

Sorry.  I find this sort of thing very confusing. 

[TomO · Accepted solution]

As long as you're only choosing Media Player to share, make that window smaller so that you can fit the Zoom chat side by side with it so they're not overlapping. Hope that makes sense!

[AdminBASW]

Ah. I see. Thank you for the idiot-proof reply, Tom!  😁  I'll give it a go.  Fingers crossed...  🤞

[DeniseLahat]

@AdminBASW  to play a video pls choose share screen\advanced\video.  you will not have these issues.  If you do a regular screen share then make sure you uncheck "optimize for video" on the bottom of the share screen popup.  

[AdminBASW]

Hi Denise.  Thank you and the "uncheck optimize" option was the thing that made the difference.  The boxes have now gone!

Cheers!