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In-person events: QR codes & scanning feature

Canapii
Updated on March 24, 2026

4 min read

How does QR code scanning work?

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  • Attendees using the mobile app can find the QR icon in the top right corner of the event homepage. Tapping it will display their unique QR code, along with a scan button just below.

                                 

  • Use for networking – It works so that when an attendee scans a colleague’s QR code, their profile will appear within the mobile app, which enables networking opportunities!

  • Event Check-in: as an attendee

When attendees scan the event QR code at the registration or the check-in kiosk, their status will switch to ‘Checked in’. 

Tip:

Tip: To find your event QR code, go to the Onsite tab > On-site Registration > View QR Code. 

To see if attendees have checked in, go to the Onsite tab > On-site Registration. You’ll see a list of your ‘In-person’ attendees, and those who have checked in will have the date and time displayed under the Check-in column.

  • Event Check in: as the organizer- Alternatively, as the event organizer, you are able to check in an attendee by scanning their QR code and choosing ‘Event check-in’.

A message “Attendee has already checked in” will pop up, signifying that you have successfully checked in the attendee. 

Tip:

Tip: You can opt to add a welcome email when the user checks in to the event or when they get checked in by enabling this feature under the Design tab > General Settings > Features & Networking. 

  • Attend sessions: as an attendee – Scanning a session QR checks in the attendee for that session. If there are any virtual materials or details in the session page, the attendee can follow along here. 
Note:

Note: For an attendee to be marked “checked in” to the session, they must have scanned the QR code 5 minutes prior to 1 hr after the session time. If outside these bounds, they are merely “added” to the session. 

When an attendee scans the QR code, it will add them to the session’s attendee list, add the session to their calendar & open the session in their mobile app!

         

Tip:

Tip: Upon going into specific sessions, you’ll find within the session description that each session has a unique QR code.

  • Check-in sessions: as the organizer – Alternatively, as the organizer, you are able to ‘check in’ attendees to your event sessions using the mobile event app. Simply scan the attendee’s QR code, then choose ‘Session check-in’. 

This will then lead you to the list of sessions you wish to check in your attendee for. You are also able to see the recent sessions, if any, an attendee has already checked-in to under ‘Recent’. 

Select the session, and a message ‘Attendee is already added in the session’ will pop up, signifying you have successfully added the attendee to that specific session. 

  • Check-in Meetings: as an attendee – Attendees are able to check in their meetings based on the Location QR. They simply scan the Location QR code, and the system checks if they have meetings in that specific location. The person they are meeting with also gets a notification that the attendee has already checked in to their set meeting. 
  • Check-in Meetings: as an organizer – organizers can ‘check in’ attendees to your event meetings using the mobile event app. Simply scan the attendee’s QR code, then choose which meeting they should be checked into.
  • View the event sponsors – Each sponsor gets their own QR code too!

You’ll find the sponsors unique QR code within each sponsor’s profile. When an attendee scans the QR code it will take them to the sponsor booth within the app. 
       

  • QR code within the campaign tool

    When your event mode is set to ‘In-person’, you’ll find within the Campaign tool that there is the option to add a QR code as a placeholder. Simply type {attendeeQR}. This enables event organizers to send over the attendee’s QR code as part of their emails! 

           

  • QR Code for Tickets
    All ticket links also have their own unique QR code that will redirect users to the ticket page URL when scanned using a normal phone camera. 

  • QR code for Sponsor Admins

When a sponsor admin is logged in on the app and uses the QR code scanner to scan an attendee’s QR, it will show two options:

  • View Profile

  • Add as a lead

    Adding as a lead will have the following options:

    • An add notes field that allows sponsors to add notes before adding the attendee
    • Add to lead data in the console with reference “Added as a lead by [sponsor admin name]” and include a new notes tab