Zoom News: New Presenter Layouts and Screen Share Options
Zoom has recently added new options for screen sharing that will allow users to choose different layouts for sharing and allow for multiple simultaneous shares, along with a shared screen mode that can be used for collaborative exercises or oversight of student activity. These new features are part of a host of updates Zoom has made recently, such as those featured in our article: Zoom News: Updated Interface and More. To experience these new options, be sure to update your Zoom app.
Screen Sharing Presenter Layouts
New layouts for how presenters can share content in a Zoom meeting combine the presenter’s video feed and the shared content, displaying them together on one screen. There are multiple layouts to choose from. Some presenters may feel that this is a more engaging experience for participants, allowing them to see shared content while also maintaining a view of the presenter.Shared content can now be displayed over the shoulder of the presenter, behind the presenter, or with the presenter and content in side-by-side panels. You can also choose from a set of wallpaper options if you would like to add a common virtual background to the shared screens. If no wallpaper is selected, a black background is used instead.
You will find these layout options when you click on the “Share” button. On the right side of the panel that pops up, where you select the shared content, you will see the multiple layout options below a sample of what the screen will look like. Click the options to preview which one you would like to choose. Within the sample view, you can click on either your image or the shared content to resize either or move them around the screen. This gives you further options for customization. Below the layouts, you will see a set of wallpaper options you can choose if you’d like to add a background. One thing to note is that recordings will not preserve the combined layout as seen in the live session.
For more information on Presenter Sharing Layouts, please visit: Using Screen Sharing Presenter layouts (zoom.com)
All Screens Mode for Oversight and Collaborative Learning
All screens mode allows the host of a meeting to request that all participants share their screen. This will provide the host with a side-by-side view of each participant who accepts the invitation to share, with their shared desktop(s) next to their video feed. If meeting participants have multiple monitors, the host will be able to click through each of the participants monitors. Participants who choose not to share will remain in the gallery view above and can therefore be quickly identified. This tool can be used by an instructor who wants oversight when students are performing a learning activity or a formative assessment, for example. There is also an option to show all shared desktops to all of the participants. This option can be chosen for a collaborative exercise where the intent is for students to see each other’s screens. It is important to note that participants should be warned that all on-screen content will be viewable, and that they should close anything that may contain content that they wish to keep private. Also note that if participants join the meeting late, they will need to be prompted by the host to share their screens, and once they do, they will automatically join the all screens mode. Shared participants’ screens will not be captured in the recording of the session, but the presenter’s screen share will. In order to use this option it must be enabled in your Zoom web portal settings.
To use all screens mode:
- Click the small arrow next to the “Share Screen” button.
- Click “Start All Screens Mode…”
- If you would like all participants to see the shared screens along with the host, click “Allow participants to view shares.”
- In the new window that pops up, click “Start.”
- All participants will be prompted to let them know the host wants to view their desktop and be given the option to “Start Sharing” or “Not Now.”
- As more participants share their screen, additional pages will be created, allowing the host to click left and right to view them.
- To cancel the All Screens Mode, click the “All Screens” indicator in the top right of the screen, and then click “Stop All Screens Mode.”
To learn more about All Screens Mode, please visit: Using all screens mode in meetings (zoom.com)
Simultaneous Screen Sharing
This feature allows multiple participants to share their screen at the same time. This can be useful when there are multiple presenters who want to share at the same time, or if there is a need to compare documents or content. It also adds convenience, avoiding the problem of one person having to stop sharing so that another can start. In a classroom setting, this option would allow for multiple students, for example, to share content with instructors or other participants, with those participants having the ability to choose which shared content to look at. The screen shares do not appear together on the screen. Users will see tabs at the top of the screen and be able to choose which screen share they would like to look at, and then switch between them.
This feature must first be enabled in your Zoom web portal settings. In the web portal, go to the link for “Settings” in the navigation panel on the left and then choose the settings for “In Meeting (Basic).” Find the screen sharing settings and click the one that says, “Multiple participants can share simultaneously (dual monitors recommended). Then click “save.” Note that during a meeting, you can still choose to turn this option off.
Multiple participants will now be able to share simultaneously. During a meeting, when multiple shares are taking place, participants will need to click on the tabs at the top of the screen to switch between shares.
At any time during a meeting, the host can decide to switch between allowing only one person to share and allowing multiple people to share. To do this, click on the little “carrot” next to the “Share” button. You will see the options there.
Please note: The “Remote Support” feature must be disabled in the host’s web portal settings in order to allow simultaneous screen sharing.
For more information on Simultaneous Screen Sharing, please visit: Sharing multiple screens simultaneously (zoom.com)