How do I show live poll results on screen?
Short answer
To show live poll results on screen, open your poll's public results page on the computer connected to the projector. In Textiful, that page updates in real time as people vote by text, shows counts and percentages only (never names or phone numbers), and can display a countdown and a winner banner when the poll closes. People vote by texting your keyword or scanning your QR code, then replying with a letter or the answer.
Updated November 5, 2026
To show live poll results on screen, open your poll's public results page in a browser on the computer connected to the projector. In Textiful, that page updates in real time as votes come in by text. It shows counts and percentages only, never names or phone numbers, so it's safe to project in front of the people who voted. You can pick a dark or light theme, show a countdown or the closing time, and show a winner or tie banner, with optional confetti, the moment the poll closes. People vote by texting your keyword or scanning your QR code, then replying with a letter or the answer.
How do people vote?
A poll in Textiful is a step inside a capture flow. Put the question on screen with the keyword and a QR code: "Which topic should we cover next? Text TOPIC to 33777." People text in, get the question with lettered options, and reply.
They can reply with the letter, the answer text, or something close. One-letter typos are forgiven, so a reply of "Bets" still counts for "Beta." Each person gets one answer by default. If you want people to be able to change their vote, turn that on.
What does the screen show?
| Setting | Options |
|---|---|
| Theme | Dark or light |
| Timing | A countdown, the closing time, or neither |
| Results | Counts and percentages for each option |
| When it closes | A winner or tie banner, with optional confetti |
| Footer | A small "Powered by Textiful" link |
Pick the theme that matches your slides and the room's lighting. A dark theme usually reads better in a dim ballroom, and a light theme on a bright webinar screen. Names and phone numbers never appear on this page.
To switch between your slides and the results, open the results page in its own browser window before you start and flip to it when you open the poll. On a webinar, share that window.
How do I close the poll and show the winner?
Close it by hand when you're ready, or set a closing time in advance. When the poll closes, the results freeze, and the winner or tie banner appears on the results page.
A few options for the close:
- Send a closing reminder so late voters get a nudge.
- Text voters the result once it's final.
- Set a closed message for anyone who texts in after the poll ends.
With a countdown on screen, the room knows how long it has, which helps when you want the vote done before the next speaker.
Can I collect emails in the same poll?
Yes. Because the poll is one step in a flow, you can add an email question after the vote, and a handout if you have one: "Vote, then reply with your email and we'll send you the session recording." You can add the contact to Mailchimp, Kit, ActiveCampaign, or HubSpot, or send it anywhere through Zapier. Keep it short. Across Textiful flows over 90 days in 2026, completion was 89.5% for one question and 83.1% for two, so a vote plus an email is a reasonable ask.
For the trigger, QR codes are free on every plan, and one keyword is included (more are $10/month). Showing both lets the back of the room vote too.
How does Textiful help?
Textiful live polls run by text with a public results page built for the projector, and the same flow can collect emails. Running a live poll without an app covers setup for a session.
Try it at your next event → Start a free trial
Questions people ask
No. They vote by text from their phone's texting app, after texting your keyword or scanning your QR code.
No. Textiful's public results page shows counts and percentages only, never names or phone numbers.
One answer per person is the default. You can turn on vote changes if you want people to be able to switch.
Yes. In Textiful a poll is a step inside a capture flow, so you can ask for a vote and an email in the same conversation.
Keep exploring
Live poll
A live poll is a question put to an audience in real time, with answers collected from people's phones or devices and results shown as they come in, often on the screen behind the speaker. It's used for audience participation, quick feedback, and group decisions during talks, classes, services, and shows.
ReadAudience response system
An audience response system (ARS) is a tool that lets everyone in a room answer a question at the same time and shows the combined results to the presenter or the whole audience. Early systems used handheld clickers; most now run on attendees' phones through a web page, an app, or text messages.
ReadKeyword (texting)
In texting, a keyword is a word someone texts to a short code to start a specific program, such as SLIDES to get a slide deck or JOIN to sign up for a list. On a shared short code, the keyword tells the system which organization and which program the message belongs to.
ReadConference lead capture for event organizers
Conference lead capture happens in a dozen rooms at once: the main-stage poll, the breakout session survey, the sponsor's giveaway. Textiful gives each moment its own QR code or keyword, asks a question or two by text, and sends the answers and contacts where your team works.
ReadWebinar audience engagement by text
Webinar audience engagement by text puts the phone next to the laptop to work: viewers scan a QR code on your slide or text a keyword, vote in a live poll, and give an email in the same conversation. You screen-share the results page, and every voter lands in your list.
ReadCollect attendee emails at a workshop
To collect attendee emails at a workshop, tie the ask to something attendees already want: the workbook, the templates, or a recap of the exercises. Put a QR code on the first and last slide, ask for an email and a 1 to 5 rating by text, and the contact goes to your email tool with the feedback attached.
ReadReady for your next event?
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