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This article provides answers to frequently asked questions about using Microsoft Lync Web App communications software.

In this article

Joining the meeting

When I click the meeting URL, I receive a “Pop-up blocked” notification. How should I respond?

  1. Ensure that the meeting invitation is from a trusted source.

  2. Select Always allow pop-ups from this site. Do NOT select Temporarily allow pop-ups.

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Getting audio

Sometimes, the audio option, Option 1: The conference calls you, doesn’t work. Why?

The main causes for this are:

  • The support team at the company that organized the meeting disabled the functionality.

  • There was a problem with the phone connection.

  • The meeting was configured incorrectly.

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Using instant messaging

Can I apply formatting to individual words or phrases in my instant message?

In Lync Web App, only paragraph-level formatting is available. This means that you can use the text formatting tools to change the look of each message that you send, but all the text in a given message will have the same formatting.

Why can’t I copy any text from previously sent instant messages to use in other messages or documents?

Lync Web App does not support copying and pasting text from the IM history pane. It also does not support saving a copy of all the meeting instant messages.

Why can’t I click URLs that are sent over IM?

The support team of the company hosting the meeting has the ability to disable active URLs in the IM area.

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Understanding the meeting roster

What are the icons next to each name in the list of meeting participants?

These icons give information about each participant’s current and potential ways of interacting with the other people in the meeting. However, a participant’s interaction capabilities depend on several factors, including the client from which they joined the meeting, administrative settings for the meeting, and any current connection problems.

While you may have joined the online meeting using Lync Web App, there may be other attendees who joined the meeting using Microsoft Lync 2010. These attendees will have the capability for computer audio and video (VOIP), but Lync Web App does not support these capabilities. However, if you’re running Office Communicator 2007 R2 along with Lync Web App, then you’ll have computer audio capability, but not video.

The icons In-meeting icons indicate that the selected participant:

  • Can send and receive instant messages.

  • Is currently speaking.

  • Has paused their video.

  • Is currently sharing their desktop, programs, a whiteboard, or polling information.

For a Lync Web App user who is an attendee, only the first two icons from the left will be available and the others will be grayed out. However, a presenter will also be able to see the last icon as active when using the sharing feature.

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Sharing your desktop and/or programs

Is my operating system supported?

The ability to share your desktop or programs with Lync Web App is supported for all versions of Windows that are listed in Supported Platforms for Lync Web App, except for Windows Server 2000.

You cannot share your desktop or programs if you are running a Macintosh operating system or if your browser and operating system combination are not listed as a supported platform (for example, Google Chrome running on Windows).

Troubleshooting by platform

The following sections provide troubleshooting tips for users of the specified platforms.

Windows Server 2008 R2, Windows Server 2008, or Windows Server 2003 operating systems

Why can’t I install the Lync Web App plug-in on my computer running a Windows Server operating system?

Try disabling the Do not save encrypted pages to disk option:

  1. In Windows Internet Explorer, click Tools, and then click Internet Options.

  2. On the Advanced tab, check whether the Do not save encrypted pages to disk check box is selected (by default, it is selected on server computers).

  3. Clear this check box to successfully download and run the Lync Web App plug-in installer.

If this doesn’t work, you might also need to change the default security settings. For instructions about how to change these settings, see DisableMSI (Windows).

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Windows 7 operating system with Internet Explorer 8

After I update the Lync Web App plug-in, the meeting window stops responding.

This is a known issue in cases where an older version of the Lync Web App plug-in is uninstalled during a meeting.

  • Close the browser window, and then rejoin the meeting.

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Windows 7, Windows Vista, Windows Server 2008 R2, or Windows Server 2008 operating systems

I have more than one monitor. Why don’t I have the option to share a monitor?

To share a monitor, the DPI on your computer must be set to 100% or lower. (The DPI, from “dots per inch”, is a measure of pixel density.) To view and change the DPI setting, go to your computer’s display settings. In Windows 7 and Windows Vista, display settings are in Control Panel, in the Appearance and Personalization section.

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Windows Server 2008 operating system with Internet Explorer 8

I receive a “JavaScript not enabled” message when I try to install the Lync Web App plug-in. What should I do?

  1. In Internet Explorer, click Tools, and then click Internet Options.

  2. On the Security tab, click Trusted sites, and then click the Sites button. Make sure that you add both the “http” and “https” URLs to the Trusted sites, for example, “https://*.contoso.com” and “http://*.contoso.com”.

  3. Under Add this website to the zone, enter the meeting URL details (for example, “https://*.contoso.com”), and then click Add.

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Windows Server 2008 operating system or Windows Vista operating system with Service Pack 2 or earlier

When I try to install the Lync Web App plug-in, the process fails and I receive a “UAC” error.

Make sure that User Account Control (UAC) is turned on, and then try installing the plug-in again. For instructions, see Turn User Account Control on or off.

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Internet Explorer

After I install the Lync Web App plug-in, I receive the following Program Compatibility Assistant message: “This program might not have installed correctly.” What should I do?

You might see this dialog box if someone else has already installed the plug-in on the computer that you’re using. In this case, click This program installed correctly, and continue working.

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Windows Server 2000 operating system, Macintosh operating systems, or Google Chrome

Why can’t I share my desktop or a program?

Desktop and program sharing is not supported on Windows Server 2000 or Macintosh operating systems or with the Google Chrome Internet browser. To participate in sharing sessions, join the meeting using a supported platform. For more information, see Supported Platforms for Lync Web App.

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Any browser and operating system

I can’t install the Lync Web App plug-in. What should I do?

Make sure that your computer is running a supported operating system. For a list of supported operating systems, see Supported Platforms for Lync Web App.

When I click Install plug-in or Update plug-in, I receive a “Pop-up blocked” notification. How should I respond?

  1. Exit the meeting.

  2. Ensure that the meeting invitation is from a trusted source.

  3. Rejoin the meeting.
    The “Pop-up blocked” notification will re-appear.

  4. Select Always allow pop-ups from this site. Do NOT select Temporarily allow pop-ups.

I cannot share my desktop or program. How should I troubleshoot this?

Make sure that your browser is not in “Run as Administrator” mode, restart the browser, and then try sharing again.

When I try to share my desktop or program, I receive the following message: “Cannot start sharing in two simultaneous meetings.”

  • On your computer, close any other browser window that is part of the meeting or that shows the exit screen from the meeting, and then try sharing again.

I receive the following error message while installing the Lync Web App plug-in: “The process terminated unexpectedly.” What should I do?

This might occur because another installation is already in progress on your computer. Click OK in the message, wait for the first installation to finish, and then proceed with your sharing activity. You will have to restart the plug-in installation.

Alternatively, this may occur if you chose not to restart the browser during installation. Restart the browser, and try installing the plug-in again.

After I start sharing my screen, I receive the following Windows Security Alert: “Windows Firewall has blocked some features of this program.” What should I do?

Screen sharing does not require this permission, so you can ignore this alert. Select any response, close the alert, and continue sharing.

Why does my desktop and program sharing always fail?

If your computer is configured to use HTTP proxy server, which requires an authentication, you will not be able to share your desktop or programs. Contact the meeting organizer for other collaboration options.

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Using PowerPoint

When I give a presentation in a meeting, why do the animation effects look different from the ones I created?

Lync Web App is unable to replicate all of the animation effects from the Microsoft PowerPoint presentation graphics program. When replication fails, you’ll see either a different effect or a static page.

During a PowerPoint presentation, why can’t I add notes to the slides while others in the meeting can?

The meeting organizer or a presenter might have set the meeting options so that only participants with certain roles have permission to annotate PowerPoint slides. Your role in the meeting may not have this privilege.

During a PowerPoint presentation, why can’t I view slides other than the one currently being presented?

The meeting organizer or a presenter may have set the meeting options so that only participants with certain roles have permission to navigate to slides other than the one being actively presented. Your role in the meeting may not have this privilege.

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Using the whiteboard

Why can’t I paste certain image types onto the whiteboard?

The Microsoft Silverlight browser plug-in does not support pasting of certain image types. (Silverlight is the platform that the whiteboard program uses to display content.)

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Viewing meeting content

Why am I not able to independently view content that was uploaded to the meeting but is not currently being presented?

The meeting organizer or a presenter may have set the meeting options so that only participants with certain roles have permission to privately view meeting content when it is not being presented. Your role in the meeting may not have this privilege.

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