Disclosed embodiments provide for control of an external display by a client device. In one aspect, a system includes at least one electronic hardware processor and an electronic hardware memory, operably connected to the at least one electronic hardware processor, and storing instructions that configure the at least one electronic hardware processor to transmit a barcode to a first client device, establish an authenticated session with a second client device, receive an indication of the barcode from the second client device via the authenticated session, receive input from the second client device indicating a selection of content, access the selected content via the authenticated session, and transmit the selected content to the first client device based on the barcode received from the second client device.