Display Mode -- Projecting Questions on Screen

What is Display Mode?

Display mode is a full-screen presentation view designed for projectors and large screens. It shows the currently highlighted question and active poll results to the entire room. The display updates automatically in real time, so you never need to touch the projection computer during the session.

Accessing the Display

There are three ways to open the display:

1. From the admin dashboard: On the session detail page, click the Display button in the action row at the top. The same page also has a Sharing card with a copy-ready Public Display URL (No PIN required) and a separate Host Display URL (PIN required) for your own preview.
2. From the host panel: Click the Open audience display icon in the header to open the display in a new tab.
3. Using the direct URL (recommended for ProPresenter): Open the Audience screen settings popover from the host header (the screen/projector icon), and copy the Display URL at the bottom. This URL ends in ?key=... — a secure token that bypasses PIN entry, making it ideal for embedding in ProPresenter, OBS, or any kiosk browser. The same URL is shown on the session detail page as the Public Display URL.

The direct display URL is designed for set-and-forget use. Paste it into your projection software once, and it will work without any login prompts.

If you open the display without the ?key= token (and you are not already signed in as the host on that browser), you will be prompted to enter the Host PIN. If the token in the URL is wrong or incomplete, the page returns a hard "Invalid display key" error rather than silently asking for the PIN — so double-check you copied the full URL.

What the Display Shows

Idle State (No Highlighted Question, No Active Poll)

When nothing is highlighted and no polls are active, the display shows:

• A large "Scan to Ask a Question" heading
• The QR code for joining the session (if enabled)
• The join code prominently displayed

This idle screen is perfect for displaying before the Q&A portion of your service begins, inviting the congregation to join.

Highlighted Question

When a host sends a question to the display (the "On display" / highlighted question), the display shows:

• The full question text in large, readable type
• The author name (if the "Show author name" setting is enabled)
• The vote count

Active Poll

When a poll is activated, the display shows:

• The poll question
• A horizontal bar chart with each option's vote count and percentage
• A total vote count
• Bars animate smoothly as new votes come in

Both (Question + Poll)

If a question is highlighted and a poll is active simultaneously, the display shows both. The question and poll use slightly smaller text sizes to fit together on screen.

QR Code Corner

When content (a question or poll) is being displayed, the QR code and join code move to a small overlay in the bottom-right corner, so late arrivals can still join.

Display Settings

You can customize the display appearance from the host panel by clicking the Audience screen settings icon in the header (the screen/projector icon) to open the settings popover. It includes a live 16:9 preview, so you can see your choices before they hit the projector. Changes are saved automatically and reflected on the projection screen in real time.

Theme Presets

Choose from three built-in presets, plus a fully customizable option:

Custom Colors

When you select the Custom theme, color pickers appear for:

• Background -- The main screen background
• Text -- The primary text color
• Accent -- Used for the join code, poll percentages, and bar chart fills

Font Size

Control how large the text appears on the projection screen:

• Small
• Medium (default)
• Large
• Extra Large

Use "Large" or "Extra Large" for rooms where the screen is far from the audience.

Toggle Options

• Show QR code -- Display the QR code on screen for participants to scan. Turn this off if you have already shared the join link through other means.
• Show branding -- Display the "TimelyChurch" watermark in the footer. This toggle is gated by the custom branding plan feature. On plans that do not include custom branding, this toggle is shown with a (Pro) label and is disabled, and the server forces branding ON regardless of the toggle state -- even if the value is somehow flipped off, the server overrides it when rendering the display. Only plans that include custom branding can actually hide the watermark.
• Show author name -- Display the name of the person who asked the question currently on display. Turn this off for full anonymity on screen.

Full-Screen Mode

Click the expand icon in the top-right corner of the display to enter browser full-screen mode. The cursor automatically hides after 3 seconds of inactivity to keep the display clean.

Participant Count

A small participant count is shown in the top-left corner of the display (at low opacity) so the host can glance at attendance without switching views.

Using with ProPresenter or OBS

1. Open the host panel and click the Audience screen settings icon in the header to open the settings popover. (Alternatively, open the session detail page and use the Public Display URL from the Sharing card.)
2. Copy the Display URL using the Copy button. This is the read-only, no-PIN link your media team can use.
3. In ProPresenter, add a new web content slide and paste the URL.
4. In OBS, add a Browser Source and paste the URL.
5. The display will connect automatically and update in real time.

The display polls the server every 3 seconds (every 15 seconds when the tab is not visible). For projection software that keeps the tab active, updates will always be near-real-time.

Tips for a Great Display Experience

• Set up the display view and enter full-screen mode before the service begins.
• Use the idle screen as a pre-service slide to invite people to join early.
• Choose a theme with high contrast for readability in bright rooms. Dark themes generally work best for projection.
• If your room has a lot of ambient light, try the Light theme with Extra Large font.
• Highlight one question at a time from the host panel. When you highlight a new question, the previous highlight is automatically removed.

Next: Creating Polls