Barcode Scanner

Scan a barcode online with your phone or laptop camera, or from a photo or screenshot. The Barcode Scanner reads the number and tells you what type of barcode it is, then lets you look up the product. There’s no app to install, and your camera feed and photos never leave your device.

How to scan a barcode online

1. Press Start camera and allow camera access, then hold the barcode flat and level so the bars fill most of the frame. It reads the code as soon as it’s in focus.
2. No camera? Press Choose image, drop a photo onto the box, or paste a screenshot with Ctrl/Cmd+V.
3. Read the number and the barcode type, such as EAN-13 or Code 128. For product barcodes, the scanner also checks the last digit to make sure the number was read correctly.
4. Press Copy number to paste it somewhere else, or Look up product to see the product name and brand from Open Food Facts.
5. Barcode smudged or torn? Type the digits printed under the bars into the box instead and press Check number.

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Which barcodes it reads

• EAN-13 and EAN-8: the barcodes on almost everything you buy in the UK and Europe.
• UPC-A and UPC-E: the US and Canadian versions, common on imported goods, games and electronics.
• Code 128, Code 39 and Code 93: used on parcels, delivery labels, tickets, library books and stock labels. They can hold letters as well as numbers.
• ITF and Codabar: found on outer cartons, some older library cards and lab labels.

QR codes are different, because they can hold a website link. If you scan one here, you’ll be sent to QR X-Ray, which shows where the link really goes and warns you about scam signs before you open it.

Privacy

The scanning happens on your device. Your camera feed and photos are never uploaded or stored, and the camera switches off as soon as a code is found. Nothing is sent anywhere unless you press Look up product, and then only the number goes to Open Food Facts, a free, open product database run by a non-profit. Your image and your location are never shared.

FAQ

Is the Barcode Scanner free?

Yes. There’s no app to install, no account and no limit on how many barcodes you scan.

Can I scan a barcode with my phone?

Yes. Open this page in your phone’s browser, press Start camera and point the back camera at the barcode. It works on iPhone and Android without an app. If your browser asks for camera access, tap Allow.

Can I scan a barcode from a picture or screenshot?

Yes. Press Choose image or drop the picture onto the box. On a computer you can also paste a screenshot with Ctrl/Cmd+V. A sharp, straight-on photo works best.

Why can’t it find the product?

Open Food Facts mainly covers food, drink, toiletries and household products, and its entries are added by volunteers. Books, clothes, electronics and own-brand items are often missing. The number itself is still correct, so you can search for it in a shop’s website or your favourite search engine.

Does the barcode tell me where a product was made?

No. The first digits of an EAN-13 show which country’s GS1 office registered the company, not where the product was made. Barcodes starting 50 were registered in the UK, but the product could come from anywhere.

Can a barcode be dangerous to scan?

An ordinary barcode only holds a number, so scanning it can’t take you to a website or install anything. QR codes can, which is why they go to QR X-Ray instead.

Why won’t my camera read the barcode?

Barcodes need more detail than QR codes. Move closer so the bars fill most of the frame, keep the phone level with the bars, avoid glare from shiny packaging and make sure there’s good light. If it still won’t read, take a photo and upload it, or type the number in.

Can I make my own barcode?

Yes. Use the Barcode Generator to make a print-ready EAN, UPC or Code 128 barcode.

Related: Barcode Generator, QR X-Ray, QR Code Generator, Photo X-Ray, Security, Catpool home.