Screen Sharing vs Remote Access vs Co-Browsing

What is the difference between screen sharing, remote access and co-browsing?

Screen sharing, remote access and co-browsing are three different ways for a helper to see what someone else sees, and the difference comes down to scope and control. Screen sharing is a live view of a device's screen, or of one window or app on it, sent to a helper who watches but does not operate the device. Remote access is software that lets a helper see and control another computer, moving its mouse and typing on its keyboard, and some tools also offer unattended access when nobody is at the device. Co-browsing is a shared session on a specific website, where a script on that site lets an agent view the visitor's page and often navigate it with them, without seeing other tabs or apps. Picking the wrong one creates friction: an install the customer did not need, more access than the task requires, or a view that misses the actual problem.

The terms also appear in our glossary, along with related ones like unattended access and screen broadcast.

How do they compare?

Screen sharing, remote access and co-browsing at a glance
Factor	Screen sharing	Remote access	Co-browsing
What the helper sees	The shared screen, window, tab or app	The whole remote computer	Only the company's own website, in the visitor's browser
Remote control	None; the person sharing does the tapping	Full mouse and keyboard, if the user allows it	Varies; often shared navigation on the site
Install	Often none on computers (browser); an app on phones	Software on the device, and often on the helper's side too	None for the visitor; the business adds a script to its site
Typical tools	FaceTime, Zoom, Google Meet, GuidedView	Microsoft Quick Assist, Chrome Remote Desktop, TeamViewer	Website co-browsing tools such as Cobrowse by Zoho Assist
Best for	Seeing a problem anywhere on a phone or computer and guiding by voice	IT fixes, installs and settings on computers	Forms, checkout and account pages on your own site
Privacy	The sharer picks what to show and can stop at any time	Highest access; only for trusted helpers	Limited to one site; sensitive fields can be masked

When should you use remote access?

Use remote access when a technician needs to do the work: installing software, changing system settings, or fixing a computer the user cannot operate. Remote access tools are stronger than screen sharing for IT work, and many add unattended access and file transfer. The tradeoff is trust, since the helper can do almost anything the user can. Microsoft's Quick Assist page warns users to only allow a helper to connect if they started the interaction themselves, and to use it only with people they trust.

Quick Assist also shows that the line can blur: the helper starts by viewing the screen and must select Request control, which the user can allow or decline. See GuidedView vs TeamViewer and GuidedView vs Quick Assist for where each fits.

When should you use co-browsing?

Use co-browsing when the problem lives on your own website or web app, such as a form, a checkout or an account page. Because the agent sees only pages that carry the co-browsing script, the visitor's other tabs and apps stay private, and tools can mask or hide sensitive fields. The costs are setup work to add the script to your site and no help with problems outside it, like an email app or phone settings. Compare tools in best co-browsing software.

How do you choose in one minute?

Is the problem only on your website? Use co-browsing.
Does a technician need to operate a computer? Use remote access.
Otherwise, especially on phones or during a phone call, use screen sharing.

Many teams end up with two tools: co-browsing or remote access for their core workflow, and a simple screen sharing link for everything else. If that second tool is for phone calls, see how GuidedView works.

Questions

Is screen sharing the same as remote access?

No. Screen sharing only shows the screen, and the person sharing keeps control. Remote access lets the helper move the mouse and type on the remote computer. Some tools do both: Microsoft Quick Assist starts with screen viewing, and the helper must request control, which the user can allow or decline.

Is co-browsing safer than screen sharing?

It is narrower, not automatically safer. Co-browsing only shows the company's own website and can mask sensitive fields, so it exposes less. Screen sharing can show anything on screen, which is why good tools let the sharer choose a window or app, pause, and stop at any time.

Does co-browsing work on a customer's phone?

Website co-browsing runs on pages that carry the vendor's script, so it can see your site in the phone's browser but not other apps, phone settings or other websites. To see anything else on a customer's phone, use screen sharing.

Which one needs a download?

Remote access usually needs software on the computer being controlled. Co-browsing needs nothing from the visitor, since the business adds a script to its site. Screen sharing varies: computers can often share from a browser, while phones generally use an app to broadcast the screen.

Which is best for supporting iPhone users?

Screen sharing. Co-browsing only sees your website, and TeamViewer says iOS does not allow its tools to control an iPhone. Apple's own FaceTime and Phone app remote control exist, but they require both people on iPhones and the helper saved in the owner's contacts.

Sources

Third-party details were checked against these pages as of November 2, 2026. Products change, so confirm current pricing and features with each vendor.