Trouble-shooting screen sharing over messages

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134 points

Trouble-shooting screen sharing over messages

I have a 2015 iMac, FusionHD, macOS 12.1.2.

I am trying to help seniors dealing with problems with their Macs.

90% of the time I am able to use Messages.app to view and control their Macs.

10% of the time I will extend the invitation to share screens, they will never receive it, and the attempt times out with something like: John Doe is not available for screen sharing.

I will carefully walk these folks through the process of making the proper changes to Sys Prefs > Sharing by following Apple's instructions to the letter, but the same thing happens: they never get the invite.

However, when we turn it around and they send me an invite to view their screen, it works, but of course it's not possible to control their screens and I have to go through the laborious, time-consuming process of "Click there, no, not there, to your left, etc.".

I have searched everywhere for an answer to this question but came up empty handed.

Please, can anyone help?

Posted on Mar 4, 2022 6:37 PM

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Answer 1

Top-ranking reply

Lager1

Community Specialist

Mar 5, 2022 2:28 PM in response to Room101A

Hi Room101A,

Welcome to Apple Support Communities. The steps here will help for when they can't share their screen:

"If you can’t share a screen

In the Messages app on your Mac, if the Share button is dimmed, try the following:

Make sure the person youʼre trying to share with is signed in to iCloud using the same Apple ID they used to sign in to Messages.
If they can’t sign in to iCloud and Messages using the same Apple ID, open your Contacts app , and make sure your contact card for the person includes both Apple IDs—the one they use to sign in to iCloud, and the one they use in Messages. Then try sharing again. (See Create and manage contacts.)

Tip: You can also share screens without using the Messages app, using macOS screen sharing. See Turn Mac screen sharing on or off"

Share your screen using Messages on Mac - Apple Support

If you have already tried these steps and the other user's Mac is updated, reach out to Apple support directly here: Get Support

Cheers!

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Answer 2

Room101A Author

Level 1

134 points

Mar 5, 2022 6:08 PM in response to Lager1

One other thing: this is not a case where her share button is dimmed.

• I have her send me a text to my iPhone number which I receive on my iMac, not my iPhone.

• When I go to the share button it is not dimmed; I am able to send her the request to share her screen.

• The problem is, unlike most folks with whom I do screen sharing sessions, she never gets the request and after a minute I get a notice that X is not available for screen sharing.

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Answer 3

Room101A Author

Level 1

134 points

Mar 6, 2022 12:21 PM in response to Lager1

I hope you are still monitoring this thread.

I tried to screen share via messages this afternoon with a pal who is also running Monterey. It failed as he never received the invitation.

Among your suggestions was: "make sure your contact card for the person includes both Apple IDs."

This fellow has only one Apple ID
Over the years,I have done screen sharing over messages with many, many seniors and I do not have their Apple IDs in their Contacts card on my computer. There is no line dedicated to Apple ID in Contacts and under Card > Field no choice to add Apple ID is offered.

I looked at his Messages > Account and it appears properly set up:

• He has enabled Messages in iCloud

• He can be reached at his iPhone number & at his icloud, gmail, and verizon email addreses.

• He is set up to start new conversations from his iPhone number.

• While in Messages > preferences he clicked on [Sync Now]

Despite all this, he still fails to receive my request, sent over Messages, to share his screen

Thanks for your help.

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Answer 4

Room101A Author

Level 1

134 points

Mar 9, 2022 11:47 AM in response to Room101A

I give up. I have tried everything and yet, with about 10% of those with whom I screen share over messages, they never get my invitation and the screensharing app just times out.

How very frustrating that I have that subset of about 10% with whom I just cannot screen share.

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Answer 5

Room101A Author

Level 1

134 points

Mar 5, 2022 6:05 PM in response to Lager1

I will try to do a session with her this weekend and try those suggestions.

Will report back, whatever happens.

Thank you.

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Trouble-shooting screen sharing over messages

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