How to Share Windows from the Taskbar in Windows 11

How to Turn On or Off “Share Any Window” from the Taskbar Using Settings

The quickest way to turn taskbar window sharing on or off is the Settings ⚙️ app. The path is Personalization, then Taskbar, then Taskbar behaviors. This works the same on Windows 11 Home and Pro. The setting only decides whether the share button appears on the taskbar 🖥️. It doesn’t change how your meeting app works.

1. Open the Settings ⚙️ app. Click the Start menu ⊞ (the Windows icon on the taskbar 🖥️) and select Settings. Or press Win+I to open it directly. You should see the Settings ⚙️ window with a list of categories on the left.

   

2. In Settings, click Personalization on the left menu. The personalization options (background, colors, themes and so on) appear on the right.

   

3. On the right side, click Taskbar. The taskbar 🖥️ settings page opens.

   

4. Scroll down and click Taskbar behaviors to expand it. A list of options for taskbar alignment, badges and sharing appears.
5. Find Share any window from my taskbar and tick the box to turn it on. Untick it to turn it off. The change applies right away, so you don’t need to restart.

   

6. Close the Settings ⚙️ app when you’re done.

If the option is missing, your Windows 11 version probably predates the feature. Install the 💿 latest updates and look again. If the box is greyed out on a work or school PC, an administrator may be controlling it through policy.

How to Share a Window From the Taskbar During a Meeting

With the setting on, you can share an open app with everyone in a meeting without digging through menus. You need to be in an active call in Microsoft Teams or another meeting app that supports taskbar sharing. The button doesn’t appear when you’re not in a call. It also won’t appear in apps that don’t support the feature.

1. Join or start a meeting in Microsoft Teams (or a similar app).
2. Hover your mouse over the apps on your taskbar 🖥️. A thumbnail preview of each open window appears.
3. Look for the new button on the preview. It lets you share your window with everyone in the meeting.
4. Click Share this Window on the window you want to show. Meeting participants should now see that window.
5. To stop sharing, hover over the window again and click Stop Sharing.
6. To switch to something else, hover over another window and click Share this Window. You can pick a different window at any time this way.

You can also mute or unmute yourself from the taskbar 🖥️ during the call, so you don’t have to return to the meeting window.

How to Turn On or Off "Share Any Window" Using the Registry Editor (Advanced)

This is the better choice if you manage several PCs or want to script the change. Check each step before you make it, because a wrong value in the registry can cause system errors. The steps are the same on Home and Pro.

Follow these steps carefully, and consider backing up the registry or creating a restore point first. If you're unsure, ask someone to help.

1. Open the Registry Editor:

   • Press Windows key + R, type regedit, and press Enter. Click Yes if User Account Control asks for permission.
   • Or read this guide on how to open the registry in Windows 11.
2. In Registry Editor, go to this key. You can paste it into the address bar at the top of the window:
   

   🗝️Registry

   Copy

   HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Advanced

3. Check that you're on the right key. The key's values should appear in the right pane.

   

4. If you don't see the Advanced folder, right-click on Explorer, select New › Key, and name it Advanced.
5. On the right side, right-click an empty area and select New › DWORD (32-bit) Value. A new value appears with its name highlighted for editing.
6. Name the new value TaskbarSn. If a value with this name already exists, skip creating it and use that one in the next step.
7. Double-click TaskbarSn and set the Value data to:

   • 1 to turn ON window sharing
   • 0 to turn OFF window sharing

   Click OK to save it.

   

8. Close the Registry Editor and restart your computer to apply the change.

To undo the change, go back to the same value, set it to the opposite number, and restart again. You can also switch the option back in Settings, as described earlier.

Summary

• Windows 11 lets you share any open window directly from the taskbar during meetings.
• You can turn this feature on or off using the easy Settings app or the more advanced Registry Editor.
• This helps make sharing your screen faster and easier when using Microsoft Teams or other meeting apps.
• Try these steps to customize your Windows 11 to match how you like to work.

More Info

For official announcements and updates, check Microsoft’s blog: Microsoft Windows Insider Blog