Check In Guests for In Person Events
If you are hosting an in person event, you will be able to check in guests as they arrive in order to verify their registration and to keep attendance.
Guests will receive a QR code in their email that you can scan when they come to the event. You can also search for their name on the guest list to check them in manually.
We recommend using our iOS app (luma.com/ios) or our Android app (luma.com/android) to make the check-in process seamless.
When you scan a guest's ticket, you'll see their information along with their current registration status. You'll also see a button to check them in (or to undo their check in), it will not automatically check them in.
Note that you will first need to open the Luma scanner via web, iOS app, or Android app before scanning a guest's QR code. You cannot scan from your phone's camera app.
Express Mode for Fast Check-In
For large events where you need to quickly process many guests, you can enable Express Mode. This mode automatically checks guests in as soon as you scan their QR code, eliminating the need to tap a button for each guest.
To switch between Standard and Express mode, tap the gear icon in the scanner and select your preferred mode. With Express Mode enabled, you'll see instant visual feedback with color-coded results and a list of recently scanned guests at the bottom of the screen.
Express Mode is ideal for events with high attendance where speed is essential, while Standard Mode gives you more control to review each guest's details before confirming their check-in.
Express Mode will auto-check in guests with a single valid ticket. If the ticket is invalid, you'll see a red "Not Valid" message. And if the guest has multiple tickets, the app will show the guest's information and you'll be able to choose which tickets to check in.
Check-In Options
You can configure check-in settings for your event, including adding check-in staff and setting the default scan mode. These options are only available for in-person events.
On Web: Go to your event's manage page, scroll to the Hosts section, and click Manage check-in staff and options.
On iOS: Open the Luma app and go to your event's manage page. Tap Check-In Options.
Adding Check-In Staff
You can give team members check-in access without granting them full event management permissions. This is useful for volunteers or staff who only need to scan tickets at the door.
From the Check-In Options panel, click Add to invite someone as check-in staff. They'll be able to scan tickets, check in guests, and view the guest list, but won't have access to other event management features like editing the event or sending messages to guests.
Check-in staff requires Luma Plus.
Configuring Default Scan Mode
From the Check-In Options panel, you can set the default scan mode for your event. This determines how the scanner behaves when your team opens it.
Standard Mode opens the guest details sheet when you scan a ticket. You'll see the guest's information and need to tap a button to confirm the check-in. This gives you more control to review each guest before checking them in.
Express Mode automatically checks guests in as soon as you scan their QR code. This is faster for high-volume events where you need to process many guests quickly.
You can also enable Lock Mode for Check-In Staff to prevent your check-in staff from changing the scan mode. This is useful when you want to ensure a consistent check-in experience across all your staff members. When locked, only event hosts and managers can change the scan mode.
Understanding QR Code Formats
Luma uses two types of QR codes for check-in, both following the format https://luma.com/check-in/[event-id]?pk=[key]:
Guest Key QR Codes - These appear on tickets sent to guests. The key format starts with g- (e.g., g-abc123). This is the main QR code guests receive in their confirmation emails. When scanned, it shows all the guest's tickets and allows you to check them in for all tickets or select specific ones.
Ticket Key QR Codes - These appear in CSV exports and check in a single specific ticket. The key format is a shorter alphanumeric string (e.g., xyz789). Each ticket has its own unique QR code in the export.
For guests with only one ticket, both QR codes will successfully check them in. However, if you're using an external check-in system, be aware that the CSV export contains ticket keys while the actual tickets sent to guests contain guest keys (starting with g-). Both are valid for check-in through Luma's system.