What an event QR code does
Scan an event QR code and the phone offers to add the event to its calendar — title, date, start and end time, location and description all filled in. It replaces the “I'll put it in my diary later” that never happens. The generator encodes the event as a standard iCalendar (vCalendar) entry, the same format behind .ics invitations, which every phone and desktop calendar understands. Everything runs in your browser.
What is inside the code
BEGIN:VEVENT
SUMMARY:Product launch
DTSTART:20260614T180000
DTEND:20260614T200000
LOCATION:Riverside Hall, 12 Quay Street
DESCRIPTION:Doors 17:30. Bring this ticket.
END:VEVENTDates are written as YYYYMMDDTHHMMSS. Without a trailing Z they are “floating” local times — 18:00 on the scanning phone's clock — which is what you want for a physical event where everyone is in the same place. For an online event spanning time zones, state the zone in the description.
Filling in the fields
| Field | Tip |
|---|---|
| Title | Short and specific — it is what shows in the calendar grid. "Team offsite — Q3 planning" beats "Meeting". |
| Start / end | Always set an end time; without one, calendars default to an hour or an all-day event. |
| Location | A full address or a venue name the phone's maps app can find. For online events, put the meeting link here. |
| Description | Doors time, dress code, what to bring, contact for questions. Keep it under about 200 characters to keep the code scannable. |
How different devices handle it
- iPhone: the Camera app shows an “Add to Calendar” banner; tapping opens the event in Calendar for confirmation.
- Android: Google Lens or the camera app offers to add the event to Google Calendar or the default calendar app.
- Desktop scanners may show the raw text; the user can copy it into a new event.
- The event is added to whichever calendar the user selects. It is not a shared or synced invitation — changes you make later do not propagate.
Where to use event codes
- Posters and flyers for concerts, talks, markets and open days.
- Tickets and confirmations — printed or emailed, so the date lands in the calendar on purchase.
- Wedding and party invitations — a small code on the card for the ceremony time and venue.
- Conference schedules — one code per session on the programme board.
- Appointment cards — dentists, salons and clinics reduce no-shows when the slot is in the phone.
- School and club notices — term dates, matches, rehearsals.
- Recurring events need a different approach: encode a link to a subscribable calendar (.ics URL) instead.
Event QR vs link to a booking page
An event QR puts a fixed event into the calendar with no ticketing or RSVP. A URL QR to an Eventbrite, Meetup or booking page lets people register, pay and receive updates, and lets you change the details later. For anything with limited places or a registration step, link to the page and let it offer “Add to calendar” after signup. For free, open events where the goal is simply to be remembered, the event QR is more direct.