URL Scheme

Arrivals Board supports a custom URL scheme that lets you open the app and post a message by tapping a link. This works from Safari, other apps, QR codes, or anywhere that supports tappable URLs.

URL format

arrivals://message?message_text=Hello+world

The scheme is arrivals:// followed by the message action and query parameters.

Parameters

Parameter Type Required Description
message_text String Yes The message text to display on the board. Also accepts text as an alias.
sender String No The sender name shown in the header row. Defaults to "URL" if omitted.
time String No A time value in HHmm format (e.g., 1430 for 2:30 PM). Displayed in the header row's time column. If omitted, the current time is used.
indicatorColor String No Sets the indicator lamp color as a 6-digit hex string (e.g., FF6600 or #FF6600). Omit this parameter to leave the lamp off.
priority String No Controls when the message is displayed. Accepts queue, next, or now. Defaults to next. See Priority levels below.
urgent String No Legacy parameter. When Y, equivalent to priority=now. Accepts Y or N. Defaults to N. If both priority and urgent are provided, priority takes precedence.

Priority levels

Priority Behavior
queue The message joins the queue in time order. It will be shown when its turn comes.
next The message jumps to the front of the queue. The current message finishes its display duration, then this message flips in. This is the default for URL scheme messages.
now The message interrupts the currently displayed message immediately. The reels retarget mid-animation to show the new content.

Full example URL

arrivals://message?message_text=Build+%231234+deployed+successfully&sender=CI+Server&indicatorColor=%2300CC00&urgent=Y

This URL:

  • Posts the message "Build #1234 deployed successfully"
  • Sets the sender to "CI Server"
  • Displays a green indicator (#00CC00)
  • Marks the message as urgent (jumps to front of queue)

Backward compatibility

The arrivals:// URL scheme is backward-compatible with the original Arrivals app released in 2012. URLs created for the original app will continue to work. The text parameter alias exists specifically for this backward compatibility.

Usage examples

Creating a URL from Shortcuts

You can build an arrivals:// URL dynamically in the Shortcuts app:

  1. Add a Text action with the URL template: 
    arrivals://message?message_text=PLACEHOLDER&sender=Shortcut
  2. Use a Replace Text action to swap PLACEHOLDER with your actual message content.
  3. Use a URL Encode action if the message may contain special characters.
  4. Add an Open URLs action to open the resulting URL.

This approach is useful when you need to send a message to Arrivals from a shortcut that also performs other actions, or when you want to hand off to the Arrivals app explicitly.

Linking from a web page

You can embed an Arrivals link directly in an HTML page:

<a href="arrivals://message?message_text=Hello+from+the+web&sender=Web+Page&indicatorColor=FFBF00">
  Send to Arrivals
</a>

Tapping this link on an iPad with Arrivals installed opens the app and posts the message.

QR codes

Generate a QR code containing an arrivals:// URL. When scanned by an iPad, it opens Arrivals and posts the message. This is useful for physical installations --- for example, a QR code on a conference badge that posts an arrival announcement to the board.

arrivals://message?message_text=Jane+Smith+has+arrived&sender=Reception&indicatorColor=00B864

Parameter reference (quick copy)

For convenience, here is a minimal URL with only the required parameter:

arrivals://message?message_text=Your+message+here

And a maximal URL using every parameter:

arrivals://message?message_text=Your+message+here&sender=Source+Name&time=0930&indicatorColor=%23FF6600&priority=now