Sharing not working when you try to present from Google Meet in Chrome on macOS? There is an easy solution and Andy Wolber will show you how.
Image: Andy Wolber/TechRepublic
I was in one Google Meet session with clients. “OK, go ahead and present your screen,” I said. I waited. Nothing. No screen sharing happened. They saw a prompt (Image A) to change permissions, but we weren’t sure what to do. So we moved on to other problems with no screen sharing.
A week or so later it happened again. I was in another Google Meet session with several people and they also struggled to present.
In both cases, the person who wanted to present from Google Meet on a Mac had to change one macOS security setting. However, the setting was not easy for the person to find and change quickly, especially in the middle of a meeting.
Enable screen recording permission for Chrome on macOS
How to enable camera and microphone permissions for Chrome on macOS
What is your experience?
Image A

So if you ever plan to present or share your screen while in Google Meet in Chrome on a Mac, follow the steps below. For these steps to work, make sure you:
- To have Chrome installed on your macOS system,
- Are logged in to Meet with your Google account in Chrome, and
- Know your macOS administrator password.
The changes below will make Google Meet the macOS security permissions necessary to allow you to present your screen.
(Note: If you forget your macOS administrator password, there are several ways to reset it. Try it first reset password from recovery mode. Alternatively, you can try it in some cases other methodssuch as resetting with your Apple ID.)
TO SEE: Get this portable 4K monitor for over $400 off (TechRepublic Academy)
Enable screen recording permission for Chrome on macOS
Enable screen recording permission for Chrome on macOS
1. Select the Apple menu (located in the top left corner of the screen).
2. Choose System Preferences (Figure B).
Figure B

3. Select Security & Privacy (Figure C).
Figure C

4. You may need to unlock before changing settings. Select the lock (Figure D, in the lower-left corner), a message and prompt appear. Log in with TouchID or with your system administrator’s name and password.
Figure D

5. Make sure the Privacy button is selected (from the tab at the top of the options), scroll down and select Screen Recording (in the left menu).
6. In the box on the right, scroll until Chrome appears, then select the box to allow screen sharing (Figures E).
Figures E

7. If Chrome is open, you may see a message that the setting will not be applied until Chrome is closed (Figure F). Choose Later or Close and Reopen. I recommend Exit and Reopen.
Figure F

8. Select the lock (in the lower left corner) to secure your settings.
After making the changes above, you can presenting Google Meet in Chrome on your Mac. During a meeting, select the Present Now icon (appears as a box with an arrow pointing up) at the bottom of your screen, then choose one of three options: Your full screen, a window, or a tab.
TO SEE: 9 tips for audio conferencing with Google Meet (TechRepublic)
Enable camera and microphone permissions for Chrome on macOS
In addition, Chrome needs camera and microphone permissions to share video and audio with Google Meet. In most cases, you’ve already granted this access when you started a Google Meet session. If you ever want to check or change the settings, the process is similar to the steps above.
TO SEE: How to use the Google Meet quality tool to solve conference problems (TechRepublic)
Enable Chrome camera permissions: Apple menu | System Preferences | Security & Privacy | scroll to Camera | unlock if necessary (as above) | Check the box next to Chrome (Figure G).
Figure G

Allow Chrome microphone permissions: Apple menu | System Preferences | Security & Privacy | scroll to Microphone | unlock if necessary (as above) | Check the box next to Chrome (Figure H).
Figure H

What is your experience?
If you use a Mac, or use Google Meet with people using it macOS— have you noticed that people run into problems when they try to present? How do you help people get past the above one-time changes to screen recording, camera, or microphone security settings? What other methods have you used to share your Mac’s screen during a web meeting? If you use Google Meet on macOS, let me know what your experience was, in the comments below or on Twitter (@awolber).
If you use Google Docs during your next Google Meet, you can learn expert tips by downloading them Google Docs tips from TechRepublic Premium for advanced users.