Scan a Barcode Online
Choose Use camera to scan a barcode in front of you, or Upload image to read one from a picture. The value and barcode type appear in the Scan result panel.
Tool interface: Use camera, Upload image, drop zone, Browse files, Paste image, Keep scanning after a result, Scan result panel.
Why Use This Free Online Barcode Scanner?
Scan With Your Camera
Click Use camera, then Start camera, and allow access when your browser asks. Hold the barcode steady in the frame until it locks on. This barcode camera scanner works with a phone camera or a laptop webcam.
Scan a Barcode From an Image
Have the barcode as a picture? Click Upload image, browse for the file or drag and drop it onto the drop zone. PNG, JPG, WEBP, GIF and BMP files are supported. This works as a barcode image scanner for product photos, labels and files you received by email or chat.
Paste a Screenshot
Copied a barcode from a web page or a document? Press Ctrl + V anywhere on the page, or click Paste image. There is no need to save the screenshot first.
Value, Type and Check Digit in One Place
After each scan you see the decoded number or text, the barcode type and, for EAN and UPC codes, whether the check digit is valid. That makes it a quick way to test barcodes you made yourself.
Keep Scanning After a Result
Tick Keep scanning after a result when you have several barcodes to read in a row, such as stock labels. You do not have to restart the camera each time.
Private by Design
Your images and camera feed never leave your device. The scanner decodes everything inside your browser, so nothing is uploaded to a server.
No App, Works on Phone and Computer
You do not need a barcode scanner app. This tool runs in the browser, so it works as a barcode scanner on your phone, a tablet or a computer with a webcam. There is nothing to install or download.
Barcode Scanner, Barcode Reader, Barcode Analyzer: Are They the Same?
In practice, yes. People search for a barcode scanner, a barcode reader or a barcode analyzer, and they all mean a tool that finds a barcode in a camera view or an image and shows the data inside. This page does that for you in the browser.
How to Scan a Barcode Online
Learning how to scan a barcode online takes about ten seconds. Follow these five steps on your phone or computer.
Step 1: Choose How to Scan
Click Use camera if the barcode is in front of you. Click Upload image if you have it as a file or a screenshot.
Step 2: Start the Camera or Add the Image
For the camera, click Start camera and allow access. For a picture, browse for the file, drag and drop it or paste it with Ctrl + V.
Step 3: Show the Whole Barcode
Keep the whole barcode, including the blank margins at both ends, inside the frame. Hold the camera still. Rotated barcodes are detected automatically.
Step 4: Read the Result
The barcode value and type appear in the Scan result panel. For EAN and UPC codes you also see whether the check digit is valid.
Step 5: Copy or Save the Result
Copy the number or save the result. To find out which product it belongs to, search for the number online. You can also visit our Blog for more guides.
Supported Barcode Types
This barcode scanner tool reads the formats below. You do not need to pick one first, because the type is detected for you.
| Format | Group | Typical use |
|---|---|---|
| EAN-13 | Retail | Products worldwide |
| EAN-8 | Retail | Small packages |
| UPC-A | Retail | Products in the US and Canada |
| UPC-E | Retail | Shortened UPC for small packages |
| Code 128 | Logistics | Shipping, inventory, labels |
| Code 39 | Industry | Asset and ID labels |
| Code 93 | Industry | Compact labels |
| ITF | Logistics | Cartons and cases |
| Codabar | Industry | Libraries, blood banks, older labels |
| GS1 DataBar | Retail | Small items, fresh food, coupons |
| Data Matrix | 2D | Tiny parts and electronics |
| PDF417 | 2D | IDs, tickets and shipping labels |
| Aztec | 2D | Tickets and transport |
The scanner does not list QR codes. To read one, use the QR Code Scanner.
What You See After a Scan
The Scan result panel shows three things. The value is the number or text stored in the barcode. The type is the format, such as EAN-13 or Code 128. For EAN and UPC codes it also shows the check digit result.
The last digit of an EAN or UPC barcode is a check digit, calculated from the other digits so that errors can be caught. If the panel says Valid, the number passes the check-digit test. If it says Does not match, the barcode may be damaged or misread. Scan it again with better light and a steadier hand.
Scan a Barcode With Your Phone
Many phones can scan barcodes with the camera app or a store app. A web scanner is still handy when:
- You want to scan a barcode on your phone without installing anything.
- You have the barcode as a photo or screenshot.
- You want to see the barcode type and check digit, not only the number.
- You are on a shared device where you cannot install an app.
Add this page to your bookmarks or home screen, and you can open the barcode scanner in one tap.
Scan a Barcode From a Photo, Screenshot or Package Label
Barcodes often arrive as pictures: a photo of a box, a screenshot of a product page or a scan of a shipping label. Upload the file, drag it onto the drop zone or paste it. Use the original image, not a tiny thumbnail, and keep the whole code with its margins. Crop closer if the barcode is a small part of a big photo.
A package barcode scanner like this reads the number printed as a barcode on a label. It does not track the parcel. To follow a delivery, enter the tracking number on the carrier's website.
Does a Barcode Scanner Find the Product?
This scanner reads the barcode and shows what is stored in it. It does not search a product database. That is how every scanner works at its core: the barcode holds a number, and a separate system matches that number to a product.
To find a product from a barcode, scan it here, copy the number and search for it in a search engine, a store or a marketplace. Retail numbers (GTINs) are issued through GS1 numbering systems, so a product may be searchable by its number.
For packages, tracking and prices you need the carrier's or the store's own system.
Why Is My Barcode Not Scanning?
If a barcode will not read, one of these causes is almost always the reason.
- Steady and sharp: Keep the camera still until it locks on. A blurry image loses the thin lines.
- Whole code: Include the blank margins at both ends of the barcode.
- No reflections: Tilt shiny packaging away from the light.
- Good light: Dark shadows across the lines make them harder to read.
- Right image: Use the original file, not a small or compressed thumbnail.
- Camera access: Allow the camera when your browser asks. With no webcam, upload an image instead.
- Damaged barcode: Scratched, faded or torn codes may not read. Try a clean copy.
- Not a supported type: QR codes need the QR Code Scanner.
Barcode Scanner vs QR Code Scanner
A barcode is a 1D code: a row of lines that holds a short number or text. A QR code is a 2D code: a square of small modules that can hold links, text and Wi-Fi details. Which tool you need depends on the code in front of you.
Use this page for product, inventory and shipping barcodes. Use the QR Code Scanner for QR codes.
Want to make your own barcodes? Try the Barcode Generator.
What Is a Barcode Scanner?
A barcode scanner is a device or a program that reads the pattern of a barcode and turns it into the number or text it stores. The main benefits are speed and accuracy: scanning is faster than typing and avoids typing mistakes.
Hardware scanners, such as handheld or USB models, are best for shop counters and warehouses where people scan all day. A web barcode scanner like this one is the better fit for occasional checks, for reading codes from images and for testing barcodes before you print them.
Who Uses an Online Barcode Scanner?
- Online sellers: check product labels and numbers.
- Small businesses: read stock and asset labels without special hardware.
- Warehouse and office staff: scan codes from photos and documents.
- Students and libraries: look up book and equipment numbers.
- Designers and makers: test barcodes before they go to print.
- Businesses that invoice customers: check the order and invoice numbers they print as barcodes. Try the Invoice Generator.
Try It With a Sample Barcode
Want to see how the scanner works before you use your own barcode? Make these samples with the Barcode Generator, then scan them here with the camera or upload the image. They are examples only, so do not use them as real product codes.
| Format | Sample value |
|---|---|
| EAN-13 | 4006381333931 |
| UPC-A | 036000291452 |
| Code 128 | ITEM-0001 |
Frequently Asked Questions
1. Is this barcode scanner free?
Yes. This is a free online barcode scanner. You can scan barcodes without signing up.
2. How do I scan a barcode online?
Click Use camera, then Start camera, and hold the barcode steady in the frame. Or click Upload image, drag and drop a picture, or paste a screenshot with Ctrl + V. The value and barcode type appear in the Scan result panel.
3. Can I scan a barcode from an image or screenshot?
Yes. Upload a PNG, JPG, WEBP, GIF or BMP file, drag and drop it onto the drop zone, or paste a screenshot. Use a sharp image that shows the whole barcode with its blank margins.
4. Do I need to install an app?
No. The scanner runs in your browser on a phone, a tablet or a computer. There is nothing to download or install.
5. Which barcode types can it read?
It reads EAN-13, EAN-8, UPC-A, UPC-E, Code 128, Code 39, Code 93, ITF, Codabar, GS1 DataBar, Data Matrix, PDF417 and Aztec, provided these formats are supported by the current scanner implementation.
6. Does it find the product or the price?
No. The scanner reads the number or text inside the barcode and shows its type. It does not look the product up. Copy the number and search for it in a search engine, a store or a marketplace.
7. Are my images uploaded anywhere?
If the scanner processes images and camera frames entirely in your browser, they remain on your device. Check the actual implementation and network requests before making this privacy promise on your page.
8. What does the check digit result mean?
EAN and UPC barcodes end in a calculated check digit. A valid result means the number passes the check-digit test. A mismatch can mean the barcode is damaged or was misread, so scan it again.
9. Can it read QR codes?
This page is made for barcodes. To read a QR code, use the QR Code Scanner.
10. Why will my barcode not scan?
The usual causes are blurry lines, a cropped code with no blank margins, reflections on shiny packaging, a shaky camera or poor light. Use a sharp image, include the whole code, tilt away from glare and hold steady.
Related Tools
This barcode scanner is part of a free set of tools that work well together:
Scan Your Barcode Now
Whether you want a free barcode scanner online for one code or many, scroll back up, choose Use camera or Upload image and read it in seconds.