Barcode Scanner
Read EAN, UPC, ISBN, Code 128, QR and more from a photo or your camera — on device.
About this tool
Point the camera at a barcode or drop a photo of one. The number or text is decoded in your browser and labelled by type — retail product code, ISBN, logistics code, QR. Copy it with one tap.
What a barcode contains, and what it doesn't
A retail barcode holds a number, nothing more: the 13-digit GTIN on a product identifies it in GS1's registry, an ISBN identifies a book, a Code 128 on a parcel is a tracking or internal reference. The product's name, price and reviews live in databases, and shopping apps look the number up on their servers — which is exactly what this tool honestly does not do. It reads the code and hands you the digits, so you can paste them into a retailer, a library catalogue or a GS1 search, and no record of what you scanned goes anywhere. The decoder is ZXing, the open-source library behind most Android scanning apps, running on your device with camera frames analysed live and discarded. It reads the common one-dimensional formats (EAN-13, EAN-8, UPC-A, UPC-E, Code 128, Code 39, Code 93, ITF, Codabar) and the two-dimensional ones (QR, Data Matrix, PDF417, Aztec). Sharpness matters more than resolution: a straight, close, well-lit photo with the whole code and its quiet zone reads instantly; glare and blur fail. To make codes, the barcode generator; for QR codes with Wi-Fi and contact details decoded, the QR scanner.
Frequently asked questions
Does it tell me what the product is?
No — it gives you the code (for example the 13-digit GTIN). Product names and prices require a database lookup on someone's server, which this tool deliberately doesn't do. Paste the number into a retailer or GS1 search.
Which barcode types are supported?
EAN-13, EAN-8, UPC-A, UPC-E, Code 128, Code 39, Code 93, ITF, Codabar, QR, Data Matrix, PDF417 and Aztec — the formats on products, books, parcels, tickets and badges.
Why won't it read my barcode?
Usually blur, glare, angle or the code cut off. Fill the frame, keep the phone parallel to the label, avoid reflections, and include the white margin around the code.
Does the camera feed go anywhere?
No — frames are decoded in your browser and thrown away. Nothing is recorded or uploaded; the camera stops on a successful read or when you press stop.