What changed
pretix’s 30 September 2026 release notes announce version 2026.8.0 and a separate pretixSCAN 3.5.0 update. The scanning app’s kiosk mode has been redesigned. The supplier says the old mode remains available in settings for now but is scheduled for removal. It asks organisers whose use cases are not covered to get in touch. This is a vendor release report, not a hands-on assessment of the new flow.
Why event teams should care
A kiosk is not simply a staffed check-in desk with the operator removed. Attendees must understand where to scan, what a successful result means and where to go when a ticket fails. A change to that interaction can alter signage, staff briefing and the position of a help desk even when the ticket database stays the same. ETN’s recommendation is to rehearse the actual entrance workflow before changing the devices used at a live event.
A useful operational detail
The backend now shows when a device was last seen online. That gives an operations team another signal when preparing a fleet of scanners. It does not by itself prove that a device has downloaded every record or that its printer works. Check the selected event and check-in list, complete a valid scan and a rejected scan, and confirm the correct badge output on each configured device.
Separate the platform from the scanner
The release notes say Hosted customers were already using the new platform version when the announcement was published. That statement is not a promise that every organiser’s scanning app has updated. Record the platform and device-app versions separately. Self-hosted teams should also read the security notice linked below and its 30 September correction rather than treating a feature announcement as their whole maintenance checklist.
Before the doors open
Use test tickets for admission, repeat admission, an unknown ticket and a ticket requiring assistance. Verify the queue can keep moving without an attendee seeing another attendee’s personal data. Keep a staffed exception route visible. These are suggested acceptance checks; ETN has not run a live event trial of this release.
Sources and research basis
Sources checked 2026-10-17. Supplier capabilities and venue specifications are attributed to their published documentation. No first-hand test or visit is implied.