How to make a free RSVP QR code

Step by step

1. 1

   Build and publish your event page

   A QR code is just an encoded web address, so you need the page first. Add your title, date, time, and location, choose a design, and publish. Every published event gets a QR code automatically — there is nothing extra to turn on.

2. 2

   Open the QR code from your dashboard

   Find the event on your dashboard and open the share options. The QR code is generated from your event link, including a custom URL if you set one.

3. 3

   Download it at print size

   Download the code and drop it into your invitation, poster, or table card. Keep it at least 2 cm (about 0.8 in) square on printed paper, and larger on anything read from a distance like a poster or a sign at the door.

4. 4

   Test it before you print a hundred copies

   Scan the code with your own phone from the actual printed proof, not from the screen. Check it opens the right page and that the page reads well on a phone. This is a two-minute check that prevents a very expensive reprint.

Where an RSVP QR code is worth using

A QR code earns its place anywhere the invitation is physical, or anywhere a guest cannot tap a link.

• •Printed invitations and save-the-dates, so guests do not retype a URL
• •Posters and flyers for community, school, or church events
• •Table cards and signage at the door of a larger event
• •The back of a business card for recurring meetups or workshops
• •A slide at the end of a talk, where the audience is looking at a screen

QR codes the other way: tickets at the door

The same idea works in reverse on the day. With tickets on, every guest who RSVPs yes gets their own QR ticket by email, and you scan it at the door from your phone to check the party in. It is free on every event, and a ticket can only be used once.

• Free event check-in app

Making sure it actually scans

Most QR failures come down to a handful of avoidable mistakes. Every modern iPhone and Android opens QR codes from the built-in camera, so if a code does not work it is nearly always a printing problem rather than a phone problem.

• •Keep good contrast — dark code on a light background, never light on dark
• •Leave a clear margin around the code; crowding it against text breaks the scan
• •Do not stretch it — a QR code must stay square
• •Do not print it over a busy photograph or a gradient
• •Print at 300 DPI or better, and never upscale a small image
• •Add a short line of text beneath it, like 'Scan to RSVP', so people know what it does

QR code or a written link?

Print both when you have room. The QR code is faster for anyone with a phone in hand, and the written link is the fallback for guests using a desktop, forwarding the invitation to someone else, or holding a phone whose camera will not cooperate.

This is where a custom URL (included with any paid event) pays off — rsvplinks.com/mayas-40th is short enough to print beneath the code and short enough to read aloud, which a random string of characters is not.

Does the QR code expire?

No. The code encodes your event address, so it keeps working for as long as the event page exists, and it keeps working after you edit the page. Change the venue or the start time and the printed code still opens the corrected details.

Changing your custom URL after printing doesn't break it either: the old address keeps opening the event. New codes you download carry the new address.

Frequently asked questions

How do I create a free RSVP QR code?

Publish your event page and open its share options — a QR code is generated automatically from your event link, at no cost. Download it and add it to your printed invitation, poster, or table card.

Do guests need an app to scan an RSVP QR code?

No. The camera app on any current iPhone or Android reads QR codes natively. The guest points the camera at the code, taps the notification that appears, and the event page opens in their browser.

How big should an RSVP QR code be when printed?

At least 2 cm (0.8 in) square on a hand-held invitation. Scale it up for anything read from further away — roughly one tenth of the scanning distance is a safe rule, so a poster read from two metres wants a code around 20 cm square.

Will the QR code still work if I change the event details?

Yes. The code points at your event address, not at a snapshot of the details, so edits to the date, venue, or description appear through the same code. Only changing your custom URL after printing would break it.

Can I put an RSVP QR code on a wedding invitation?

Yes, and it is one of the most common uses. Guests scan it instead of posting a reply card, and you can ask for meal choices and dietary needs as custom questions on the same page (one on a free event, more on a paid one).

Set one up for your event

• Wedding RSVPs
• School Event RSVPs
• Church Event RSVPs
• Workshop RSVPs