diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index e3c9c98..7e8a112 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -100,7 +100,7 @@ enum class Color { RED = 2, BLUE = 4, GREEN = 8 };
 * Enum value sequence
 
   ```cpp
-  constexpr auto& colors = magic_enum::enum_values<Color>();
+  constexpr auto colors = magic_enum::enum_values<Color>();
   // colors -> {Color::RED, Color::BLUE, Color::GREEN}
   // colors[0] -> Color::RED
   ```
@@ -123,7 +123,7 @@ enum class Color { RED = 2, BLUE = 4, GREEN = 8 };
 * Enum names sequence
 
   ```cpp
-  constexpr auto& color_names = magic_enum::enum_names<Color>();
+  constexpr auto color_names = magic_enum::enum_names<Color>();
   // color_names -> {"RED", "BLUE", "GREEN"}
   // color_names[0] -> "RED"
   ```
@@ -131,7 +131,7 @@ enum class Color { RED = 2, BLUE = 4, GREEN = 8 };
 * Enum entries sequence
 
   ```cpp
-  constexpr auto& color_entries = magic_enum::enum_entries<Color>();
+  constexpr auto color_entries = magic_enum::enum_entries<Color>();
   // color_entries -> {{Color::RED, "RED"}, {Color::BLUE, "BLUE"}, {Color::GREEN, "GREEN"}}
   // color_entries[0].first -> Color::RED
   // color_entries[0].second -> "RED"
diff --git a/example/enum_flag_example.cpp b/example/enum_flag_example.cpp
index b31fa1f..3db3a50 100644
--- a/example/enum_flag_example.cpp
+++ b/example/enum_flag_example.cpp
@@ -34,7 +34,7 @@ int main() {
   std::cout << f1_name << std::endl; // Endangered
 
   // String enum-flags name sequence.
-  constexpr auto& names = magic_enum::flags::enum_names<AnimalFlags>();
+  constexpr auto names = magic_enum::flags::enum_names<AnimalFlags>();
   std::cout << "AnimalFlags names:";
   for (const auto& n : names) {
     std::cout << " " << n;
@@ -69,9 +69,9 @@ int main() {
   std::cout << "AnimalFlags[0] = " << magic_enum::flags::enum_value<AnimalFlags>(0) << std::endl; // AnimalFlags[0] = HasClaws
 
   // Enum-flags value sequence.
-  constexpr auto& values = magic_enum::flags::enum_values<AnimalFlags>();
+  constexpr auto values = magic_enum::flags::enum_values<AnimalFlags>();
   std::cout << "AnimalFlags values:";
-  for (const auto& f : values) {
+  for (const auto f : values) {
     std::cout << " " << f; // Ostream operator for enum-flags.
   }
   std::cout << std::endl;
@@ -83,7 +83,7 @@ int main() {
   std::cout << flag << std::endl; // HasClaws|CanFly
 
   // Enum-flags pair (value, string name) sequence.
-  constexpr auto& entries = magic_enum::flags::enum_entries<AnimalFlags>();
+  constexpr auto entries = magic_enum::flags::enum_entries<AnimalFlags>();
   std::cout << "AnimalFlags entries:";
   for (const auto& e : entries) {
     std::cout << " "  << e.second << " = " << magic_enum::flags::enum_integer(e.first);
diff --git a/example/example.cpp b/example/example.cpp
index 30d580a..7e05916 100644
--- a/example/example.cpp
+++ b/example/example.cpp
@@ -39,7 +39,7 @@ int main() {
   std::cout << c1_name << std::endl; // RED
 
   // String enum name sequence.
-  constexpr auto& names = magic_enum::enum_names<Color>();
+  constexpr auto names = magic_enum::enum_names<Color>();
   std::cout << "Color names:";
   for (const auto& n : names) {
     std::cout << " " << n;
@@ -74,9 +74,9 @@ int main() {
   std::cout << "Color[0] = " << magic_enum::enum_value<Color>(0) << std::endl; // Color[0] = RED
 
   // Enum value sequence.
-  constexpr auto& values = magic_enum::enum_values<Color>();
+  constexpr auto values = magic_enum::enum_values<Color>();
   std::cout << "Colors values:";
-  for (const auto& c : values) {
+  for (const auto c : values) {
     std::cout << " " << c; // Ostream operator for enum.
   }
   std::cout << std::endl;
@@ -101,7 +101,7 @@ int main() {
   static_assert(magic_enum::is_scoped_enum_v<Flags>);
 
   // Enum pair (value enum, string enum name) sequence.
-  constexpr auto& entries = magic_enum::enum_entries<Color>();
+  constexpr auto entries = magic_enum::enum_entries<Color>();
   std::cout << "Colors entries:";
   for (const auto& e : entries) {
     std::cout << " "  << e.second << " = " << static_cast<int>(e.first);