Frequently asked questions

No. Lobby only has read-only access to your room calendars. When someone books from the QR code or Slack, their own calendar creates the event.

No. Each organisation uses one calendar provider. To switch, disconnect the current one in Settings, then connect the other.

On Google, Lobby only lists room calendars the connected person is subscribed to. On Microsoft 365, rooms are listed once automatic room discovery is turned on. You can always add a room manually with its calendar address.

On Google, in Google Admin under Calendar Resources: copy the Resource email. On Microsoft 365, in the Exchange admin center under Rooms & equipment: copy the room's email address. Your IT team can also give it to you.

Not for syncing: an ordinary account can connect. A Microsoft 365 admin is only needed once, to turn on automatic room discovery, and to give the connected account access to room calendars it can't already read.

Give the connected account Reviewer access to the room's calendar, or connect another admin account that can already see the room under Settings, Calendar accounts.

Sync stops when their access ends. On Microsoft 365, connect a second calendar account so another one takes over. On Google, an admin reconnects with their own account.

That calendar is already one of your rooms. Open the existing room and attach your new screen to it. One room can drive any number of screens.

Lobby syncs every room's calendar every 5 minutes. Virtual screens reload about once a minute. A TRMNL screen on TRMNL's own service fetches a new picture every 15 minutes. A self-hosted screen (Pro) checks every 5 minutes by default, and Smart Updates wakes it right when a meeting starts or ends.

Yes, as many as you like. Give each one a Screen name, such as 'Boardroom Door', so you can tell them apart.

Yes. Create a virtual screen and open it on the device by typing a 6-digit PIN at app.usethelobby.com/tablet, scanning its QR code or opening its link.

The link is long and random, but anyone who has it can view the screen, so keep it private. You can regenerate it at any time, and use the Viewer allowlist to limit it to your office.

The Viewer allowlist is enforced and the tablet's internet address isn't on it, often because your office's address changed. Allow it again from the screen's Recently observed list.

PINs expire after 15 minutes, and a new PIN replaces the old one. Generate a new PIN in Lobby and try again.

TRMNL e-ink displays, Seeed reTerminal E1001 panels as self-hosted screens, and any tablet, TV, laptop or kiosk with a modern browser as a virtual screen.

An e-ink screen keeps showing its last picture and catches up when it's back online. Self-hosted screens can keep showing correct cached images for up to about 24 hours if Lobby has a problem.

A board shows 2 to 16 rooms in a grid on one screen, which suits a reception TV or a corridor display.

Not from the board itself. Boards don't show a booking QR code for each room, so people book from the room's own screen or their calendar.

They scan the QR code next to 'BOOK ON:' with their phone. Their own Google Calendar or Outlook opens a new event with the room added, and they save it as usual. On Microsoft 365 you can make it open Teams instead.

Yes, on Pro. Connect Slack under Chat integrations, then anyone can type /book or /room, choose the group size, date, time and length, and click Book.

Yes, per room. Untick the QR code under Booking & QR, and use Privacy to show titles as 'Busy' and hide organiser names.

Yes. Choose English or French under Room settings, Screen wording, and change individual phrases if you like.

With a template, on Pro. Add your logo and colours, hide the Lobby credit and apply the template to your screens. TRMNL and virtual screens each need their own template.

A design that changes with the room's status: it highlights when a meeting starts within 30 minutes and inverts while the room is in use. One room can use it on Free and Unlimited; every room can on Pro.

A TRMNL or reTerminal device that connects to Lobby's own EU server instead of the TRMNL cloud. It's a Pro feature and adds refresh rate control, active hours and Smart Updates.

On every plan, the Overview page tells you when screens need charging soon. On Pro, battery alerts email your admins and can show a charge-me notice on the screen.

Up to 3 active screens. Rooms, boards and inactive screens don't count towards the limit.

Yes. Every active screen counts as one, whatever it shows. A board on one TV counts as one screen, however many rooms it shows.

Nothing is deleted. Screens above your new limit show Upgrade required, and Pro features such as templates and self-hosted screens stop applying until you upgrade again.

No. Screens are shown to everyone, and booking happens in the person's own calendar. Only people who manage Lobby need an account.