StreamLive ProScreen sharing does not work on my Mac
Screen share not working on a Mac in Chrome, Edge or Safari? macOS must allow the browser to record the screen. Where to turn it on, and the other checks.
On a Mac, the most likely reason screen sharing fails is macOS itself: the system must allow your browser to record the screen, separately from the camera and microphone. Until it does, the browser cannot capture the screen, and in StreamLive Pro nothing seems to happen when you press share, or the browser's picker shows no screens or windows. The setting is in System Settings under Privacy and Security, in "Screen and System Audio Recording" (Apple Support: Control access to screen and system audio recording on Mac).
StreamLive Pro does not show an error when the share is refused or cancelled, because cancelling the picker is a normal choice. So "nothing happens" is the typical symptom of this permission.
Symptom, cause, fix
| Symptom | Likely cause | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| You press share and nothing happens | macOS has not allowed the browser to record the screen, or the picker was cancelled | Allow the browser under Screen and System Audio Recording, then reopen it |
| The picker opens but lists no screens or windows | Same permission | Same fix |
| "Start studio first" | The studio is not running yet | Start the studio, then share |
| The shared screen goes out without sound | The share was made without audio | Share again with the audio option on in the picker |
| The shared screen freezes on the last frame | The studio tab was hidden or minimised | Keep the studio visible; the screen comes back when the tab returns |
| A guest has no share button | Guest screen sharing is off until the host approves | The guest asks, the host approves |
Steps
- Start the studio first. On Live stream open Browser Studio and start the studio. In the Podcast studio, start the podcast first. Sharing before that shows a message and does nothing.
- Open the Mac's privacy settings. Apple menu, then System Settings, then Privacy and Security in the sidebar, then Screen and System Audio Recording.
- Turn your browser on. Turn on Google Chrome, Microsoft Edge or Safari, whichever you use. If the browser is not in the list, add it with the button below the list (Apple Support). Apple lets you allow screen and audio, or only audio: choose screen and audio.
- Quit and reopen the browser. If macOS offers to quit and reopen the browser, accept. If not, quit the browser yourself (Command-Q) and open it again, so the new permission applies. Then return to the studio and start it again.
- Share and choose what to show. Press the share button, pick a whole screen, a window or a tab, and turn on the audio option if you need the sound of what you share.
- Keep the studio window visible. If you share a window and then cover the studio with it, keep at least part of the studio visible, or use a second screen. A hidden studio tab makes the browser slow down video.
- Stop sharing cleanly. Press the share button again, or use the browser's own "Stop sharing" bar. Both end the share the same way.
Sound with the shared screen
When the browser captures sound with the screen or tab, StreamLive Pro mixes it into the broadcast and the recording through its own volume, so a video you play on screen is heard by viewers. If you shared without sound, stop and share again with the audio option on. Which sound options the picker offers depends on the browser and on what you share. If viewers hear nothing at all, see Viewers cannot hear me: no sound in the live stream.
Guests sharing their screen
A guest's screen sharing is off by default. The guest asks, you approve or decline, and only then does the button appear for them. A guest on a Mac needs the same macOS permission for their own browser. See Guests and invitations — bringing people into the room.
When to contact support
If the browser is turned on under Screen and System Audio Recording, you reopened it, and sharing still fails, write to [email protected]. Send the macOS version, the browser and its version, whether you used the live studio or the Podcast studio, and what you saw after pressing share (a screenshot or short screen recording).
The same permission story for the camera is in My camera does not work in the browser.
Frequently asked questions
Why does nothing happen when I press share?
Usually macOS has not allowed the browser to record the screen. Turn the browser on in System Settings, Privacy and Security, Screen and System Audio Recording, then quit and reopen the browser.
Do I need to reopen the browser after allowing it?
Yes. Quit the browser and open it again after allowing it, so the new permission is picked up.
Can I share only one window instead of the whole screen?
Yes. The browser's picker lets you choose a whole screen, one window or one tab.
Viewers see my screen but do not hear the video I play. Why?
The share was made without sound. Stop sharing and share again with the audio option turned on in the picker.
Does Safari need the same permission?
Yes. On a Mac, every browser needs to be allowed under Screen and System Audio Recording before it can capture the screen.
Keep reading
Can't hear a guest in your live? Usually the guest arrived muted, joined without a microphone, or picked the wrong mic. The checks for host and guest, in order.
Echo during a live stream with guestsEcho in a live with guests usually comes from someone using speakers instead of headphones, or watching the live in another tab. How to find who and fix it.
Echo cancellation and noise suppression explainedEcho cancellation removes your speakers from your microphone; noise suppression removes background sound. What each does, its limits, and the StreamLive Pro settings.
What is ISO recording? Each camera in its own fileISO recording saves every camera to its own file, next to the switched program. Why editors want it, what it costs in disk space, and where StreamLive Pro offers it.
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