Sometimes you need the number from a barcode in an order, a spreadsheet, or a return form, and there is no scanner at hand. A photo or a screenshot is enough. This guide shows how to prepare the image so the tool reads it on the first try, and what exactly you get back.
Add an image or photograph the code
Open the Barcode scanner, add an image, and click Read barcode. It takes JPG, PNG, WebP, BMP, GIF, AVIF, and HEIC, including screenshots from a phone or computer. On a phone, Take a photo opens the camera, so you can capture the code right away. You can add up to 20 images at once and get a separate result for each, and it is most reliable when each image holds one code.
Take a picture the tool can read
The code should be sharp, straight, and fill a good part of the image, with a little empty space around the bars. Move closer and use good light, without glare on shiny packaging. If the code is small on a large photo, crop it first with Crop image and add only that part. A code lying sideways is fine: the tool tries the image at several sizes, upright and turned by 90 degrees.
Which codes the tool reads
The tool recognises EAN-13, EAN-8, UPC-A, UPC-E, Code 128, Code 39, ITF, and Codabar, plus QR codes and Data Matrix. Next to the decoded number or text it shows the code format, so you can tell a product EAN from an internal Code 128 label. For a QR code with a link or a Wi-Fi network, the separate QR code scanner is handier.
What you get, and what you do not
A barcode holds only a number or text. The product name, price, and maker are not stored in the code, so the tool does not show them. Copy the result with the copy button and paste it wherever you need it. If you need a new code for a label or inventory, make one with the Barcode generator and download a PNG or SVG. The image is read in your browser and is not uploaded, as the privacy page explains.
Apply the steps to your file.
Barcode scanner