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How to scan a barcode online

Quick answer

Upload a photo of the barcode to the barcode scanner - EAN, UPC, Code 128, Code 39 and several other common formats are decoded automatically, and the value is shown as plain text to copy.

  1. 1Photograph the barcode.
  2. 2Upload the photo.
  3. 3Copy the decoded value.
Scan a barcodeAll Utilities tools

Free, no sign-up, and your file is read on your own device rather than uploaded.

Most barcode scanning happens through a dedicated phone app, which is overkill for reading a single code from a product, a shipping label or an inventory sheet. This does the same job from a browser - upload a photo of the barcode and get the number back.

It covers the common retail and logistics formats: EAN-13 and EAN-8 (most product packaging), UPC-A and UPC-E (common in the US), and Code 128, Code 39 and a few others used in shipping and inventory.

Step by step

  1. Photograph the barcode

    Straight-on, in good light, with the whole code in frame.

    Barcode & QR Scanner

  2. Upload the photo

    Decoded automatically in your browser.

    Barcode & QR Scanner

  3. Copy the value

    The decoded number, ready to paste wherever you need it.

    Barcode & QR Scanner

Tips

  • A barcode photographed at an angle or with glare across it is the most common reason a scan fails - a flat, straight-on shot works best.
  • If the barcode is small on a large photo, crop the image closer to just the code before uploading for a more reliable read.
  • This also decodes QR codes, if what you actually have is a 2D code rather than a linear barcode.

Common problems

The scan cannot find a barcode in the photo.

Check the photo is sharp and well-lit with no glare across the code, and try cropping it closer to just the barcode itself.

You're not sure which barcode format you have.

You do not need to know - the scanner tries every supported format automatically and reports which one it found.

Frequently asked questions

What barcode formats are supported?
EAN-13, EAN-8, UPC-A, UPC-E, Code 128, Code 39, Code 93, Codabar, ITF, Data Matrix, PDF417 and Aztec, alongside QR codes.
Do I need to install an app?
No - this runs in your browser. Upload a photo of the barcode and the value is decoded there.
Is my photo uploaded to a server?
No. Decoding happens entirely on your own device.
Can I scan more than one barcode from the same photo?
Currently this finds and decodes a single code per image - for several different codes, upload and scan them one at a time.

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Ready to do it?

Free, no sign-up, and nothing is uploaded to a server.

Scan a barcodeAll articles