How to hide apps while screen sharing?

To hide apps while screen sharing on Windows, download Cloakly. Once installed, you can select specific windows to 'cloak', making them completely invisible to Zoom, Microsoft Teams, Discord, and other screen capture applications while they remain fully usable on your desktop.

Can people still see the apps I hide with Cloakly?

No. When you hide a window, it becomes invisible to screen sharing apps like Zoom, Teams, Google Meet, Discord, and OBS. You can still use the window normally, but nobody else sees it.

Does Cloakly work with Zoom and Microsoft Teams?

Yes. Cloakly is fully compatible with Zoom, Microsoft Teams, Discord, Google Meet, OBS, and all major screen sharing applications on Windows.

Is Cloakly free to use?

Cloakly offers Free and Pro plans. You can download it from the Microsoft Store and upgrade any time from the pricing page.

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Productivity5 min read

How to Hide Specific Apps While Screen Sharing on Windows 10 & 11

Published by Corey Haines

June 1, 2026

We’ve all been there: you are about to share your screen on a client call or team meeting, and sudden panic sets in. Is Slack open? Are there personal tabs or banking windows visible in the background? What if a sensitive notification pops up?

Before every call, most professionals spend 2–3 minutes closing private windows, hiding files, and muting notifications. But it doesn’t have to be this way. In this guide, we’ll look at the common workarounds to screen-sharing privacy on Windows and why a dedicated tool like Cloakly is the ultimate solution.

The Manual Workarounds (And Why They Fail)

To protect desktop privacy, remote workers usually rely on three main manual methods. Let’s break down their limitations:

1. Sharing a Single Window Instead of the Entire Desktop

The most common advice is to share just one application (e.g., your browser or presentation slides) instead of your full screen.

The Failure Point: The moment you need to switch tools—like showing a code editor, a design board, or a terminal window—you have to stop sharing, start sharing the next app, and repeat. It breaks the flow of your presentation and looks unprofessional.

2. Organizing Tabs Into Separate Virtual Desktops

Windows supports multiple Virtual Desktops (Win + Tab). You can put your personal apps on Desktop 2 and your work apps on Desktop 1.

The Failure Point: If you accidentally switch workspaces during a call using shortcuts, or if a notification from Desktop 2 breaks through, your privacy is compromised.

3. Turning On Windows "Focus Assist"

This silences notifications, stopping Slack or email banners from overlaying on top of your shared screen.

The Failure Point: It only covers system notifications. It does not hide background apps, taskbar icons, or active window contents if you minimize or move your main presentation window.

The Modern Way: Desktop Privacy Architecture

Instead of constantly managing your windows, modern professionals are adopting desktop privacy architecture. This technology instructs the operating system’s window manager to bypass specific windows during screen capture.

This is exactly what **Cloakly** does. It acts as a selective filter for your OS:

Zero Presentation Friction: Share your entire screen so you can seamlessly demo multiple apps.
True Invisibility: Selected apps (like your bank tab, password manager, or Slack client) are automatically blacked out or hidden from the screen-sharing stream.
Full Local Usability: You see the apps normally on your physical screen; your audience only sees an empty space or your wallpaper.

Protect your next screen share with Cloakly. Setup takes less than 30 seconds.

Download for Windows (Free)

How to Set Up Selective Window Hiding in 3 Steps

Install Cloakly: Download the app directly from the Microsoft Store. It runs natively on Windows 10 and 11.
Select Your Target Windows: Open Cloakly. You'll see a clean interface showing your currently running applications. Simply check the box next to any app you want to hide (e.g., Spotify, Chrome tabs, Discord).
Start Your Call: Share your full screen on Zoom, Teams, Google Meet, or Discord. The selected apps will remain invisible to everyone else on the call while you can read, type, and use them normally.

Conclusion

Screen sharing shouldn't mean sharing your whole life. By incorporating a native Windows utility tool into your daily remote work toolkit, you remove call anxiety and present with absolute confidence.