Barcodes have been around for more than 70 years, in case you didn’t know. They are so commonplace that we hardly notice them until we are having trouble finding one on the cereal packet we are attempting to scan at the self-checkout.
Since barcode readers have been around for decades, you would think that with all of its computing power, your iPhone could effortlessly scan a barcode. It’s not as simple as you might imagine, though. While the iPhone’s Camera app may be used to read QR codes, barcodes cannot be scanned natively. Fortunately, an app exists for that. There are actually a ton of them. This is how to use an iPhone to scan a barcode.
On iPhone, How to Scan a Barcode Utilizing an App
There isn’t a built-in feature for scanning barcodes on iPhones, so you’ll need to install third-party software to do so. There are plenty of barcode scanning applications available; however, some of them need in-app fees to add more functions or perform multiple scans. Nonetheless, some are totally free to use. The Barcode Scanner – Price Finder app, which is available for free download, will be used in this demonstration.
Using an iPhone to scan a barcode How to Use Price Finder with Barcode Scanner
- On your iPhone, download and install the Barcode Scanner – Price Finder app.
- Open up the app.
- Select “New Scan” from the menu.
- Accept the invitation to use the camera on your iPhone.
- Keep the barcode in the center of the screen’s display and point the camera at it to scan it.
- You will receive information about the barcode you scanned as soon as it is recognized.
- See a list of every barcode you’ve scanned by going back to the main screen.
- Tap the Trash icon to remove a barcode from your history.
- You can tap the New Scan button to scan another barcode.
How to Scan a Barcode for Health and Nutritional Data
This feature is available in several apps; for this demonstration, we’ll be utilizing the Yuka app, which is free to use but has in-app purchases for extra capabilities.
How to Read Barcodes Using the App Yuka
- On your iPhone, download and install the Yuka app.
- When asked, allow the app to utilize your iPhone’s camera by opening it.
- Press the Scan button located at the bottom of the screen to scan a food item.
- Align the barcode with the white rectangle by pointing your camera at it.
- At the bottom of the screen, there is a summary of the item along with a score out of 100.
- To view additional details about the product’s ingredients, tap the summary.
- To get more information, you can tap on each section, such as Sugar, Salt, or Additives.
- Tap the History tab to see the history of the products you’ve scanned.
- To view suggestions for substitutes for scanned food products with low scores, tap the Recs tab.
- The app can also be used to scan cosmetic products to determine whether any potentially dangerous substances are present.
How to Use an iPhone to Scan a QR Code
The good news is that you can scan a QR code instead of a barcode using the Camera app on your iPhone, saving you the trouble of installing other apps.
- Get your iPhone’s Camera app open.
- To scan a QR code, point your camera at it.
- The Camera app will display a yellow link after it has been identified.
- To access the website included within the QR code, tap the link.