How to Check What Type a Barcode Is
Find out whether a code is a QR Code, EAN, Code 128, or something else. Barcode Reader X shows the format together with the scanned text.
Sometimes you need to know exactly which barcode type you are looking at, for example to confirm that a label was printed in the format a partner asked for.
Rough Differences You Can See
| Appearance | Example types |
|---|---|
| A square of dots | QR Code, MicroQR, Data Matrix, Aztec |
| A row of vertical bars | EAN/JAN, UPC, Code 39, Code 128, ITF, Codabar |
| A wide flat block | PDF417, MicroPDF417 |
The bar types look alike, so telling them apart by eye is hard.
Check the Format with Barcode Reader X
The iPhone app Barcode Reader X shows the barcode format along with the scanned text.
- Scan the barcode
- Tap the blue circle button to save it to history
- Tap the info button in the list and check the format
The format is stored with the history entry and appears as a column in CSV, Excel, and PDF exports.
You can see the full list of detectable formats under barcode types in Settings.
Supported Formats
QR Code, MicroQR, Data Matrix, Aztec, UPC-A, UPC-E, EAN-8 (JAN-8), EAN-13 (JAN-13), Code 39, Code 39 Extended, Code 93, Code 93 Extended, Code 128 (EAN-128, GS1-128), Codabar (NW-7), ITF, Interleaved 2 of 5, GS1 DataBar (RSS-14), GS1 DataBar Expanded, GS1 DataBar Limited, PDF417, MicroPDF417
Notes
- GS1-128 is recognized as Code 128
- Similar formats can be misread. If you always scan one kind of code, limiting the enabled types makes results more stable
Learn more about Barcode Reader X
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