Start an event from the Create event button in the nav, the button on your Events page, or directly at popin.events/events/create/manual. Want to describe it in plain English instead? Tap Prefer AI? Vibe it out at the top of the form, see Vibe it out vs manual create.
Only a title and a start date and time are required. Fill those in on the first tab and tap Publish now. Everything else is optional and can be added any time.
The three tabs
The form is split into three tabs so you're never facing every field at once. Tap Next to move through them, or jump to any tab once the title and date are set.
| Tab | What's on it |
|---|---|
| Basics | Name, when it starts, who can see it, and the quick Publish / Save-draft buttons |
| Details | Cover photo, location, description, event type, tags |
| Logistics | Capacity, plus-ones, BYO, what to bring, and scheduling extras |
Basics
Name it
Short and punchy. "Sat night drinks" beats "Saturday evening social gathering".
Set when it starts
The Starts row has a date picker and a time picker side by side. Tap the date to open the calendar; tap a time chip (7pm, 8pm) or the time field to set the time. Need an end time? Tap Add an end time to reveal an Ends row, most events skip it. PopIn handles your timezone automatically.
Choose who can see it
Pick Public, Friends, Invite only, or Private. Tap What do these mean? for the full breakdown, or see the table below. The default is Friends.
Publish, or keep going
Tap Publish now to go live with just the basics, or Save as draft to finish later. To add a cover, location, and the rest, tap Next instead.
Discoverable on Google only appears once you pick Public. Leave it off (the default) and your public event still works by link but won't be indexed by search engines. Turn it on and the event can also show up in What's on on the PopIn homepage, where people who haven't signed up yet can see it.
Details
- Cover photo. Up to 5MB. Skip it and PopIn paints a soft gradient from your title.
- Location. Search a place (Google Places autocompletes) or type something freeform like "my place". Once a location is set, an Address visibility control appears, keep the exact address private until guests RSVP, or show only the suburb. See Hiding your event's address.
- Description. What to expect, the vibe, anything guests should know.
- What kind of event. Optional. Helps PopIn suggest pros who suit your event.
- Tags. A few keywords (music, outdoor) to aid discovery on public events.
- Add dress code or ticket link. Tap to reveal a dress-code field and a ticket-link field. A ticket link adds a "Get tickets" button, see Selling or linking tickets.
Logistics
- Capacity limit. Cap confirmed guests. Once it's full, further "Going" RSVPs join a waitlist that auto-promotes when a spot opens, see Capacity limits and waitlists.
- Allow plus-ones, with an optional per-guest maximum.
- Add an RSVP deadline. Optional. After it, people can't say Going or Maybe any more, but they can still tell you they can't make it, and you can still change anyone's RSVP from the guest list.
- BYO and things to bring, for house parties, picnics, and potlucks.
- Scheduling options. Tap to reveal a date poll (let guests vote on the date, see Let guests vote on the date) and repeat settings for recurring events.
Who can see it
| Visibility | Who can view + RSVP |
|---|---|
| Public | Anyone with the link; also surfaces in discovery. Optionally Google-indexable. |
| Friends | Your mutual friends. |
| Invite only | Only the people you invite. Hidden from discovery and friends. |
| Private | Maximum privacy. Links open just the RSVP page; the full event stays visible to confirmed members only. |
Drafts vs published
Saving a draft keeps the event on your Events page, visible only to you. Drafts don't notify anyone, don't appear in any feed, and the shareable link 404s for everyone except you. Tap Publish from the draft when you're ready.
The create form also keeps your unfinished entries on this device. Click away, close the tab, come back later, and you'll see a "Picked up where you left off" banner with everything you'd typed still in place. Tap Start fresh to bin it. This safety net lasts 7 days and clears itself once you publish or save a draft.
Editing after publishing
Every field stays editable. Open the event and use the Edit event button in the host bar at the top.
Changes to date, time, or location automatically notify guests who RSVPd Going or Maybe. Cosmetic edits (description, cover photo) don't. A published event keeps its original publish date, editing never resets it.
Next: invite people
Once it's live, see Inviting people without a PopIn account.