A free barcode scanner that runs in your browser
This barcode scanner reads the number or text behind a barcode from an image file or from your camera. It handles common retail codes like EAN-13 and UPC-A, shipping and inventory codes like Code 128 and Code 39, and QR codes too. There's nothing to install and no account to create.
It's useful when the barcode is already on your screen. A screenshot, a product photo or a scanned label can't be read by a phone camera, but you can scan the barcode here. Whether you search for a barcode scanner or a bar code scanner, it works the same on a laptop with a webcam as on a phone.
Why use this barcode scanner online
- Scan barcode from an image. Read codes from screenshots, photos and saved files.
- Camera mode. Use a phone, tablet or webcam for codes on boxes, books and shelves.
- Many formats. EAN, UPC, Code 128, Code 39, Code 93, Codabar, ITF, QR, Data Matrix, PDF417 and Aztec.
- No signup, no app. Open the page and scan.
- Private. Your images and camera frames stay in your browser tab.
- Clear results. You see the detected format next to the value, with one-click copy.
Need to make a code instead of reading one? Try the Barcode Generator. For square codes only, there's a dedicated QR Code Scanner.
Step-by-step: how to scan a barcode
Scan a barcode from an image
Drag the image into the box, paste it, or click to pick a file. A preview appears. Click Scan barcode. If the barcode is small inside a bigger photo, use the Crop Image tool first so the code fills more of the picture.
Scan a barcode with your camera
Click Use camera and allow access when your browser asks. Hold the barcode flat and parallel to the camera, about a hand's length away. The reader checks the live video several times a second and stops when it finds a code.
Use the result
The result box shows the format, such as EAN-13, and the exact value. Click Copy result to paste it into a spreadsheet, a search bar or an inventory system.
Scan another barcode
Click Reset / Start over, then add the next image.
Supported barcode formats and limits
| Type | Formats read |
|---|---|
| Retail (1D) | EAN-13, EAN-8, UPC-A, UPC-E |
| Industrial and logistics (1D) | Code 128, Code 39, Code 93, Codabar, ITF (Interleaved 2 of 5) |
| 2D | QR Code, Data Matrix, PDF417, Aztec |
| Limit | Details |
|---|---|
| Image files | Common types your browser can open, such as JPG, PNG, WebP and GIF |
| Maximum file size | 20 MB |
| Codes per scan | One. If an image has several, the first one found is shown. |
| Camera | Needs your permission and a secure (HTTPS) page |
| Reader library | ZXing, loaded from jsDelivr when you click Scan barcode or Use camera |
Large images are scaled before scanning, and the tool retries at other sizes when the first attempt finds nothing.
Barcode scanner use cases
- Shoppers read a product's number from a saved photo to compare prices.
- Small sellers copy EAN or UPC numbers from product images into a listing or spreadsheet.
- Warehouse staff check that a printed Code 128 label contains the right location or SKU.
- Students and librarians read a book's ISBN barcode from a cover photo.
- Office managers confirm asset tags before importing them into an inventory list.
- Developers and designers test generated barcodes. Pair this with our Barcode Generator to confirm a code reads back correctly.
- Event organizers verify ticket or badge barcodes from a screenshot.
Key features and benefits
- Scan from an uploaded image, pasted image or live camera
- Thirteen barcode formats across 1D and 2D codes
- Drag and drop with a preview of your image
- Format shown next to the value
- One-click copy
- Friendly messages for missing codes, blocked cameras and oversized files
- Works on phones, tablets and desktops, with keyboard support
- Light and dark themes that follow your device
Expert tips and common mistakes
- Keep the quiet zone. The blank margin on each side of a barcode is part of it. Cropping it off often causes a failed scan.
- Keep bars sharp. Thin 1D bars blur easily. A sharp screenshot beats a shaky photo.
- Hold it straight. A barcode tilted or curved around a bottle is harder to read. Flatten the label if you can.
- Beat the glare. Glossy packaging reflects light. Move the code until the shine slides off the bars.
- Don't over-compress. Heavy JPEG compression smears bars together. If you need a smaller file, use Compress Image File at a high quality setting.
- Check digits matter. EAN and UPC codes end with a check digit. A damaged code may not read at all rather than read wrong.
- The number isn't the product. A barcode holds a number only. Product details come from a database, which this tool doesn't look up.
Privacy and security
When you choose an image, your browser reads it and the barcode is decoded on your device. The image isn't uploaded. Camera mode works the same way: video frames are analyzed in your browser, not recorded and not sent anywhere.
One honest detail: this page downloads the ZXing reader library from the jsDelivr CDN the first time you click Scan barcode or Use camera. Only the library file is downloaded. Your image and your camera feed stay on your device.
The tool only reads and shows the value. It doesn't open links or send the number anywhere. If a QR code contains a web address, copy it and check it before you visit.
This tool vs. alternatives
| This browser tool | Phone scanner apps | Server-based online readers | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Reads from an image file | Yes | Often, via a gallery option | Yes |
| Reads with a live camera | Yes | Yes | Varies |
| Install needed | No | Yes | No |
| Where the image is processed | Your browser | Your phone | Their server |
| Product lookup | No | Often | Sometimes |
A dedicated scanner app is better if you want price comparison or product details. This barcode reader is for getting the raw number out of a code, quickly and privately.
Troubleshooting
"No barcode found" message
Use a sharper, larger image where the whole barcode and its white margins are visible. Crop away clutter, or try a screenshot instead of a photo of a screen.
The camera won't start
Allow camera access in your browser's site settings. Close other apps using the camera. The page also needs HTTPS.
The barcode is on a curved or shiny package
Move the code until glare disappears, or photograph it from straight on. Flat labels read far better than curved ones.
The scan reads a wrong number
Rescan at higher quality. A blurry image can be misread as a different valid code. Compare the result with the digits printed under the bars.
My file won't open
Some formats, like HEIC, may not open in every browser. Convert the photo with our HEIC to JPG Converter, then try again.
The library couldn't load
Check your connection, disable any blocker that stops jsDelivr, and click Scan barcode again.
Nothing found in a photo with several barcodes
Crop so only the barcode you want is visible, then scan that smaller image.
Glossary
- Symbology: a barcode type and its encoding rules, such as Code 128 or EAN-13.
- 1D barcode: a code made of vertical bars of different widths, read across one line.
- 2D barcode: a code that stores data in a grid, like QR or Data Matrix.
- Check digit: a final digit calculated from the others to catch misreads.
- Quiet zone: the blank margin on each side of a barcode.
- ISBN: the book number often printed as an EAN-13 barcode starting with 978 or 979. See Wikipedia's ISBN page.
Barcode scanner FAQ
Is this barcode scanner really free?
Yes. This online barcode scanner is free to use with no trial, paywall or hidden limit. You can scan as many codes as you like from images or your camera. You don't need an account, an email address or any installed software to use it.
Do I need to sign up or download an app?
No. Open the page in a modern browser, drop in an image or click Use camera, and scan. There's no registration and no app to install. It works on Windows, macOS, Linux, Android and iOS wherever your browser allows file selection and camera access.
Is it safe to scan barcodes here?
Scanning only reads the number or text inside the code. This tool doesn't open links or send the value anywhere. Your image is processed in your browser. If a QR code holds a web address, copy it and check the domain before visiting it.
Are my images uploaded to a server?
No. The image is decoded inside your browser and isn't uploaded. Camera frames are processed on your device and aren't saved. The only download is the ZXing reader library, which loads from a CDN the first time you scan. Your pictures never leave your device.
Can I scan a barcode from a photo or screenshot?
Yes. Save or screenshot the page, then drop the image into the box. Make sure the full barcode and its white margins are visible and sharp. A screenshot is more reliable than a photo of a screen, because it avoids glare and moiré patterns.
Which barcode types can it read?
It reads EAN-13, EAN-8, UPC-A, UPC-E, Code 128, Code 39, Code 93, Codabar, ITF, QR Code, Data Matrix, PDF417 and Aztec. It reads one code per scan and shows the format beside the value. Other, less common symbologies aren't supported.
Does this barcode reader work on mobile?
Yes. On phones and tablets you can pick a photo from your gallery or use the camera. Your browser asks for camera permission the first time. Hold the phone steady, keep the barcode flat and well lit, and it usually reads within a moment.
Does it work offline?
Not on first use. The reader library has to download once from the CDN when you click Scan barcode or Use camera. After it has loaded, scanning in the same session needs no further network requests. You need a connection to open the page itself.
Can it look up the product behind a barcode?
No. A barcode stores a number, not product details. This tool shows you that number and its format. To find the product, paste the number into a store, a manufacturer site or a product database. For book barcodes, the number is usually the ISBN.
Why does it say no barcode was found?
The image may be blurry, too small, cropped too tightly or covered by glare. Use a sharp image with the entire barcode and its white margins visible. Also confirm it's one of the supported formats, and try cropping the image so the barcode fills more of the frame.
Scan your barcode now
You don't need a special app to scan a barcode. Drop an image above or use your camera, and this free barcode scanner online shows the number inside, just like a handheld bar code scanner or a barcode reader app. Bookmark it for the next time a code lands on your screen. To make codes of your own, use the Barcode Generator.