SOLVED: How To Disable Application Sharing In Microsoft Teams

The short version is that you cannot do this today.

If you are using Microsoft Teams and you have users with many windows open, desktop sharing can become very confusing.  Users should generally share a desktop and not an application because:

  1. Users often find it difficult to understand why popups and other windows do not show to those in a meeting
  2. User are often overwhelmed by the number of choices in the list of things to share in Teams

After reading THIS article I thought I had the answer but setting a TEAMS > MEETING POLICIES > SCREEN SHARING MODE to ENTIRE SCREEN does not solve the problem.  I called Microsoft Partner Technical support and worked with them for 30 minutes to determine what I already knew.  You cannot block application sharing in Teams.

Today you have 3 choices for desktop sharing in Microsoft Teams:

  1. ENTIRE SCREEN = Enabled = Share everything
  2. SINGLE APPLICATION = only allow application sharing = turn of full desktop sharing
  3. DISABLED = Disabled = Sharing is not allowed

I have formally requested a feature enhancement to add ENTIRE SCREEN ONLY which would block the apps and leave just the DESKTOP(s) and WHITEBOARD.  If you want to vote up this request or see its status, click HERE.


Published by
Ian Matthews
Tags: Teams

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