From time to time, your coach may want to do a screen share to see what is happening on your computer in order to help you to troubleshoot potential problems or to just help guide you.
Additionally, your coach may want to do a screen share to demonstrate something on his own computer. Either way, we want to download a screen sharing software to be prepared. The free screen sharing software we like to use is AnyDesk.
Below are 2 trainings on how to setup a screen share. The first demonstrates how to do it on a Windows computer and the 2nd shows how to do it on an Mac computer.
1. Any Windows Computer
- Go to this website address by clicking this link: https://anydesk.com/en
- The link will open in a new tab. Once on the AnyDesk website, click the button that says “Free Download for personal use”.
- If you are using Chrome, a screen will popup with download instructions and a button will appear on the bottom left corner that says “AnyDesk.exe” or something to that effect. Wait for it to finish downloading and then click the button.
- After anywhere from a few seconds to a couple of minutes, a box will pop up that will ask you if you want to run the software, click the “Run” button. You may not need to click a “Run” button in order for the AnyDesk window to open. In which case, you can skip this step.
- Once the AnyDesk window opens, click the “X” button in the upper right corner to close the window to close the window.
- Once you have clicked the “X” button, a message will come up that says something like “Do you like AnyDesk?” and will give you the option to install AnyDesk on your computer. Click the green “Yes” button.
- From there, you will be brought to a page where you can accept AnyDesk’s terms. Uncheck the box next to “Install AnyDesk Printer”. If you forget to do this step, don’t worry about it. It just means you installed a little bit more software than you absolutely needed but it is not going to hurt anything.
- Click the “Accept and Install” button.
- A message will now come up that asks you if you want to run the software, select “Yes” or “Accept” or whatever affirmative option shows.
- Once AnyDesk is fully loaded, find the AnyDesk icon in the TaskBar on your computer and right click on it.
- Select the option that says “Pin to Taskbar”
- You are now done. Great work! You will now be able to use AnyDesk to start a screen share as needed. Just click the “AnyDesk” icon on the taskbar anytime you need to initiate a screen share with your coach and click the “X” in the upper right to end the session when you are done.
1a. Windows Computer with S Mode Enabled -
Windows has a mode called “S Mode” which prevents users from downloading programs from anything but Microsoft’s store. This can prevent you from downloading the AnyDesk screensharing software.
If you find you cannot download AnyDesk on your Windows computer, you may need to disable S Mode. Here is how to do that.
- Click the Windows logo in the bottom left hand corner of your computer screen.
- A menu will come up that either has an option that says “Settings” or will have an icon that looks like a gear. Click on it.
- A window will open. Click the “Update & Security” link.
- In the left sidebar, click Activation.
- Then click “Go to the Store.” You will see this under the “Switch to Windows 10 Home / Pro” section.
- Press the “Get” button under the “Switch out of S Mode” section and wait for the process to complete.
- Now, your computer will not prevent you from downloading AnyDesk, so you can follow the instructions above and Get AnyDesk installed on your computer.
2. Any Mac Computer
- Go to this website address by clicking this link: https://anydesk.com/en
- The link will open in a new tab. Once on the AnyDesk website, click the button that says “Free Download for personal use”.
- You will be brought to a page that says “Download AnyDesk for MacOS”. On that page, click the red button that says “Download Now”.
- If you are using Chrome, a button will appear in the bottom left hand corner of the window that says “AnyDesk.dmg” or something to that effect. Wait for it to finish downloading and then click the button.
- After anywhere from a few seconds to a couple of minutes, a box will open up indicating that the AnyDesk software is opening. From there, you will see a new window open up that says something like “Double-click the app icon to launch AnyDesk”. Go ahead and double click the red AnyDesk icon.
- A message will now likely appear asking if you really want to open the AnyDesk software, click the “Open” link. If you don’t see this message, it means you have disabled this warning message on your machine previously.
- AnyDesk will now open and you will get a 9 digit number that you coach can use to do a screen share with you. Take a moment to write that number down for future reference.
- Now, click the “Install Now!” link in the orange section on the left side of the screen.
- A new install box will appear. Click the checkbox next to where it says “Accept Terms and Conditions” and then click the “Install” button.
- Depending on your security settings, your computer may ask you to put in your username and password to ensure you are the one downloading the software. If prompted, provide you password and click “Install Helper”.
- You are now done. Great work! You will now be able to use AnyDesk to start a screen share as needed. Just click the “AnyDesk” icon on the taskbar or after finding it in your Applications folder or by using Finder anytime you need to initiate a screen share with your coach and click the red circle that turns into the “X” icon when you hover over it in the upper left corner to end the session when you are done.