Two kinds of event QR code
| Calendar event | Event page link | |
|---|---|---|
| What the code holds | The title, time, place and description | A link to your web page |
| What the guest gets | An offer to add it to their calendar | Your page, with tickets or registration |
| Needs internet to scan | No | Yes |
| Phone support | Varies (see below) | Every phone |
| Change it after printing | No | With a dynamic code |
Calendar event codes
The Calendar event tab stores the details in the standard calendar format (a VEVENT) directly in the code. Enter the start and end in your own local time: they are saved as universal time, so every guest's calendar shows the event at the right local time. Leave the end empty for a one-hour event.
Check it on real phones. Many Android phones and scanner apps offer to add the event to the calendar. Some phone cameras, including some iPhone versions, only show the details as text. If most of your guests use iPhones, or you need registration, an event page link is the more reliable choice.
Keep the description short. Everything you type goes into the code, and a long description makes the pattern dense and harder to scan when printed small.
Event page links
The Event page link tab makes a code for your event or registration page: Eventbrite, a ticketing site, a sign-up form or your own site. It works on every phone and can carry as much detail as the page does. For general links, the website QR code generator does the same job.
Event details change: venues move and dates slip. If the code is going on printed invitations or posters, consider a dynamic QR code pointing at your event page, so you can update where it goes without reprinting.
Where to use it
- Posters and flyers for concerts, workshops, markets and meetups.
- Printed invitations for weddings, parties and open days.
- Conference badges and booths, alongside a contact QR code for your own details.
- School and community notices.
On a poster read from across a room, the code needs to be much larger than on an invitation. The QR code size calculator gives the minimum size for the distance.