How to scan a barcode
- Tap Start scanning and allow the camera. It only turns on when you tap.
- Hold the barcode flat and level inside the wide frame, close enough that the bars are sharp.
- The number appears with its type (EAN-13, UPC-A and so on). Tap Copy, or Search the web to look it up.
- Keep scanning: each new code replaces the last, and all of them are kept under Recent scans.
Good uses
- Looking up a product, its price or reviews from the barcode number
- Finding a book from its ISBN
- Checking stock codes, asset tags and shipping labels
- Copying long numbers without typing them
What it reads
| Code | What you see |
|---|---|
| QR code with a link | The address and an Open button (nothing opens until you tap it) |
| Wi-Fi QR code | Network name, password with a Copy password button, and the security type |
| Contact (vCard) QR code | Name, phone, email and more, with Save contact |
| Event QR code | Event name, times and place, with Add to calendar |
| Email, phone and SMS codes | The address or number with an Email, Call or Text button |
| Product barcodes: EAN-13, EAN-8, UPC-A, UPC-E (and book ISBNs) | The number and its type, with Copy and Search the web |
| Code 128, Code 39, Code 93, ITF, Codabar | The text or number in the barcode, with Copy |
| Data Matrix, PDF417, Aztec | The text inside, with Copy (and Open for links) |
Tips
- The scanner reads the number; it doesn't have its own product database. Search the web opens a DuckDuckGo search for the number, only when you tap it.
- Barcodes on curved bottles and cans read best when you turn the item so the bars face you squarely.
- Glare from shiny packaging is the usual problem: tilt the item slightly away from the light.
How it works
Where the browser has its own barcode reader (Chrome on Android and Mac) the app uses it. Elsewhere, including Safari on iPhone and Mac and Firefox, a small open-source reader (ZXing) loads the first time you open the scanner. Either way, the camera picture and your photos are read in this browser tab: nothing is uploaded, and the camera stops as soon as you close the scanner.
Your last 12 scans are listed under Recent scans on this device until you clear them.
Questions
Which barcodes can it scan?
Product barcodes (EAN-13, EAN-8, UPC-A, UPC-E and book ISBNs), Code 128, Code 39, Code 93, ITF and Codabar, plus QR codes, Data Matrix, PDF417 and Aztec.
Can it tell me the price of a product?
Not by itself: it reads the barcode number. Tap Search the web to look up the product and where it's sold.
Can I scan a barcode from a picture?
Yes. Tap Scan from a photo and choose a photo or screenshot with the barcode in it.