A QR Code on the Order of Service: Where It Goes and What It Says
Put the QR code on the back page of the order of service, at least 2.5 cm (1 inch) square, with one line above it saying what it does — "Share a photo or a memory of Margaret" — and a short link underneath for anyone who doesn't scan. Make the code open somewhere guests can add to, such as a memory wall shown on a screen at the reception, rather than a page they can only read. Print one copy and scan it with two different phones before printing the rest.
Last updated: November 2026
An order of service QR code is a printed code on a funeral or memorial programme that opens a web page when guests point their phone camera at it. Families use it to link to a memory wall where guests share photos and memories, an online obituary, a livestream for people who could not travel, or a donation page. It is printed like any other image on the programme and needs no app to scan: every recent iPhone and Android phone reads QR codes from the camera.
Why the order of service is a good place for it
Everyone has one in their hand. The programme is the one piece of paper every guest holds, reads while waiting and often takes home. A code there reaches people at the service and again days later, when they find it in a coat pocket.
It reaches the people at the back. At a reception, a memory wall shows its QR code on the screen, and that is the code most people scan. The order of service carries the same code to the pews, the people who arrive late and anyone who doesn't walk past the screen. It adds to the screen; it doesn't replace it.
It gives guests something to do with what they brought. Many people come with a photo of the person on their phone and nowhere to put it. One line and a code tell them where.
It costs nothing to add. A QR code is an image. Any printer — the funeral home's, a print shop, a home printer — prints it with the rest of the programme.
Where it goes, and how big
| Position | Good for | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Back page, centred | Most programmes | The usual place. Guests find it when they close the programme; it never sits beside the readings. |
| Inside back, under the thank-you | A folded A5 or half-letter programme | Pairs naturally with "The family thanks you for coming and invites you to…". |
| A separate insert card | Programmes already printed | A 5×7 in or A6 card slipped inside. The memorial QR sign template prints one. |
| Front cover | Rarely | Competes with the portrait and the name. Avoid unless the programme is a single card. |
Size. At least 2.5 cm (1 inch) square for a programme held in the hand; 3–4 cm (1¼–1½ inches) is more forgiving for older phones and dim rooms. Leave a clear white margin around it about a quarter of its width. Rule of thumb for any printed code: it scans from about ten times its own width, so a 2.5 cm code works from about 25 cm away.
Contrast. Dark code on a light background. Don't print it over the portrait, in a pale grey, or in gold foil.
What to write beside it
One line above the code saying what it does, in the family's voice, and a short link underneath for anyone who won't scan. Examples:
- "Share a photo or a memory of Margaret. They will appear on the screen at the reception."
- "Scan to add your photos of Dad. We would love to see the ones we don't have."
- "Couldn't be here? The same code works from anywhere."
- "Tell us something she taught you." (A prompt works better than "share a memory" — see 30 memory wall prompts.)
Keep the instruction to one line. "Open your camera, point it at the code" is not needed for most guests, but it is kind to add a line in small type for the oldest ones.
Adding a QR code to the order of service
About twenty minutes, done when the programme text is final and before it goes to print.
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1
Decide what the code opens
A memory wall guests can add to, a livestream link, an online obituary or a donation page. One code, one destination: two codes on a programme confuse people. If you need two, label each clearly.
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2
Create the destination first
For a memory wall, create it with the person's name; you get a QR code and a link at once. Download the code as an image — don't screenshot it, which can blur it.
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3
Place it on the back page
Centre it at 2.5–4 cm (1–1½ inches) square, with a white margin around it, a line of wording above and the short link below.
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4
Print one proof and scan it
Scan the printed proof with an iPhone and an Android phone, in the room's light if you can. If either hesitates, make the code bigger or darker.
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5
Post something yourself
Before the day, add a few photos to the wall so the first guest who scans finds something there, not an empty page.
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6
Show the same code on the screen
At the reception, open the wall's display link on the TV or projector. The code is on the screen, so the people standing near it scan from there and the programme reaches everyone else.
What goes wrong
- ✗Too small. Under 2 cm and older phones struggle. 2.5 cm is the floor.
- ✗A code that opens a form or a login. Guests give up at the first password. Make sure it opens straight to the page, with no app and no account.
- ✗Printed over a photo or in a light colour. Dark on light, with a margin.
- ✗No short link. Some guests won't scan; a link they can type, or a relative abroad can be sent, is the backup.
- ✗Not tested. One proof, two phones. Reprinting 150 programmes the night before is the alternative.
- ✗A code that stops working. Free QR generators that redirect through their own short links can expire or show adverts. A code created by the destination itself keeps working.
What the code can open
Most families choose one. The memory wall is the one guests add to; the others are pages they read or watch.
Frequently asked questions
Where should a QR code go on an order of service?
On the back page, centred, or on the inside back under the family's thank-you. It should not sit beside the readings or compete with the portrait on the cover. If the programmes are already printed, put it on an insert card.
How big should a QR code be on a funeral programme?
At least 2.5 cm (1 inch) square for a programme held in the hand, and 3–4 cm if you want it to scan easily in a dim room or on an older phone. Leave a white margin around it and print it dark on a light background.
What should the wording next to the QR code say?
One line saying what it does, in the family's voice — "Share a photo or a memory of Margaret" — and a short link underneath for anyone who won't scan. A specific prompt such as "Tell us something she taught you" gets more responses than "share a memory".
What can a QR code on an order of service link to?
Most often a memory wall where guests share photos and memories, an online obituary, a livestream for people who can't attend, or a donation page. Choose one destination per code, and make sure it opens without an app or a login.
Will older guests be able to scan it?
Most will: every recent iPhone and Android phone reads QR codes from the camera. Print the code large, add a short link underneath, and ask a grandchild or friend to help anyone who wants to share a photo but isn't sure how.
Does the QR code on the screen replace the one on the programme?
No, they work together. At the reception, the memory wall shows its QR code on the screen, and most people scan it there. The programme carries the same code to people sitting down, arriving late or taking it home.
Get the code before the programme goes to print
Create a free memory wall with the person's name; download its QR code and short link in a minute.
Create your free QR Wall →✓ No credit card required ✓ Setup in 60 seconds
Related resources
Memorial QR sign template
Free printable sign and insert cards
30 memory wall prompts
What to ask guests to share
A memory wall for a celebration of life
What guests see, and what the family keeps
How to get guests to scan
Placement, wording and the first post
How to collect photos for a funeral
Gathering everyone's photos in the days you have