I got tired of "can you see my screen?" so I built a shared reading room for documents

For years, document review sessions have followed a predictable pattern: someone shares their screen, the PDF proves too small to read comfortably, people scroll through pages while others remain on page two, and a constant refrain of "can you see my screen?" echoes throughout the meeting. This endless cycle of screen-sharing prompted the creator of SyncPage to ask: why should everyone stare at one person's screen when the document itself could serve as the shared space?

SyncPage is a platform designed to address this issue. Each uploaded document, whether it be a PDF, presentation, or spreadsheet, gets its own dedicated room. Attendees can open the same document in their own browser, and everyone can see each other's cursors and annotations in real-time. The presenter has the ability to guide the group to the page they're currently discussing, while others can freely navigate the document and return with a single click.

One of the key considerations in designing SyncPage was accessibility. To encourage participation, guests do not need to create an account. A simple link is all that's needed for them to join the review. Removing every potential barrier increased the likelihood of attendees actually taking part in the document review.

SyncPage is not limited to handling just PDFs; it supports a range of real-world office documents, including Word, PowerPoint, and Excel files. Annotations made during the review are seamlessly integrated into the document, ensuring that the collaborative process is smooth and productive.

The platform differentiates itself by offering two modes of interaction. Participants can either follow the presenter's screen, or they can break away from the presentation and continue reading independently, always able to return to the group's current focus with just one click. This unique feature sets SyncPage apart from other tools that either lock everyone to the presenter's screen or leave everyone on their own devices without any coordination.

Despite being a small, bootstrapped team of five individuals, SyncPage is still in its early stages of development. Currently available on the web, Windows, and Android, the team aims to expand to macOS and iOS in the near future. For anyone involved in document reviews with a team or has ever endured the endless "can you see my screen" commotion, SyncPage offers an innovative solution for a more efficient and engaging collaborative experience.