The web scanner is the same PocketPass Scanner app, running in a browser tab. Same sign-in, same reader picker, same scan result screens, same scan log - just no install.
It's the fastest way to get a new device scanning, and it's what you reach for when the person at the front desk is holding a laptop or a shared tablet rather than their own phone.
Opening it
Go to getpocketpass.com/scan, or open Readers and choose Open web scanner in the top-right. It opens in a new tab.
Any modern browser with a camera works - Chrome, Safari, Firefox, Edge on desktop, tablet, or mobile. The camera prompt appears the first time you scan; grant it once per device.
When to use the web scanner vs. the mobile app
| Web scanner | Mobile Scanner app | |
|---|---|---|
| Install needed? | No - just open a URL | Yes - App Store / Google Play |
| Works on | Any browser + camera | iOS + Android phones/tablets |
| Best for | Shared devices, laptops, one-off events | A dedicated device you scan on every day |
| Camera quality | Whatever the device has | Native camera - usually a bit faster |
| Offline? | No | No (both need a connection to check the pass) |
| NFC tap? | No | No - certified reader hardware only |
If your team scans all day every day on the same device, the mobile app is the smoother tool. If they're rotating devices, working from a laptop, or you're setting up a scanning point in a hurry, use the web scanner.
Signing in
Use your PocketPass email and password - the same credentials you use for the dashboard. Sign-in is separate from your dashboard tab, so signing out of one doesn't sign out of the other.
If your account belongs to more than one team, you'll pick the team next. Then pick a reader - the scanning point this device is acting as - and you're in.
Every choice is remembered per browser, so returning to /scan on the same device drops you straight into the scan screen. Switch reader or team from the Profile tab.
Signing out of PocketPass in the dashboard tab does not sign you out of the scanner tab, and vice versa. If you're handing a shared device to someone else, sign out of the scanner from its own Profile tab.
What a scan does
Same as the mobile app - it looks up the pass and shows a Valid / Already redeemed / Voided / Expired / Not found result. For templates with a use cap, the remaining uses count is shown. See Redemption & usage limits for how to set that up per template.
Every scan is recorded against the reader you picked, and appears immediately in the scan log.
What the web scanner can't do
- NFC tap. Reading a wallet pass's NFC chip from a phone camera isn't possible on any device - it needs certified reader hardware (VTAP, ACS WalletMate, or a POS terminal). The mobile app can't do this either. Use QR.
- Offline scans. The browser has no offline mode - if the device loses connection mid-shift, the next scan waits until it's back. The mobile app is the same.
- Batch mode with haptics. The mobile app has vibration feedback for a rejected pass; browsers can't reliably reproduce that. Batch mode itself works (see below).
Batch mode
For a busy entrance where staff scan a queue of passes, switch batch mode on in Profile → Scan mode. The camera stays live, advances automatically after each valid pass, and only pauses when it hits a rejected one. A running tally sits at the top so you can see the shift's total at a glance.
Where to go next
- Readers & the Scanner app - set up the scanning points the web scanner uses.
- The scan log - every scan streamed here.
- Redemption & usage limits - control what "scanned" means per template.