How to Scan a Barcode or QR Code on Your iPhone in 3 Ways

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Quickly scan barcodes for price and product info on your iPhone

Written by Hannah Dillon

Last Updated: September 7, 2025 Fact Checked

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Using Price Scanner UPC

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Using Store Apps

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Scanning QR Codes

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Q&A

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Tips

If you're working on your grocery list or just trying to get some more information about a product, you might be wondering if there are any good barcode scanner apps for iOS. Many of the barcode scanning apps available don't work as advertised, or they charge a fee to use. Thankfully there are some ways to scan barcodes on your iPhone with a dedicated scanning third-party app or with individual store apps. In this article we'll teach you how to scan bar codes as well as QR codes, which are another type of scannable code.

Things You Should Know

Download and install the Price Scanner UPC app from the App Store.
Open the app and allow it to use the camera before scanning your barcode.
Point your camera at the barcode to let it scan.

Method 1

Method 1 of 3:

Using Price Scanner UPC

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Tap the App Store icon from the home screen of your iPhone to open it. You can download all sorts of mobile applications specifically designed for iOS devices in the App Store.
It's the tab at the bottom of the screen. This displays a page with a search bar.

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A number of apps will appear with Price Scanner UPC Barcode Shop at the top. The icon looks like a barcode with a red line through it, and the developer is BuyVia, LLC.
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Tap Get next to Price Scanner UPC. This downloads and installs the app. If needed, enter your password or use your Face ID or Touch ID to authenticate your account.
- There are several barcode scanner applications available to download, though many require payment to use. Feel free to explore the App Store to find alternatives, though we've found Price Scanner UPC to be a good free option that works as advertised.
Tap the icon of the barcode scanner you installed from the home screen to open it.
The app will ask if it can give you notifications; if you'd like them, you can opt in. Otherwise you can opt out of notifications.
It's the middle option and has an icon of a square with a line through it.
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Tap Ok to allow the app to use your camera. If you are asked if you would like to allow "PriceScanner" to use your camera, tap OK to allow it.
- All barcode scanner applications use the built-in camera of your iPhone to scan barcodes.
Make sure that the barcode details like the lines and numbers can be clearly seen on the camera screen of the application. Hold your phone steady to make sure that the scanner gets a clear view of the barcode.
The app will automatically scan the barcode once it gets a clear shot of it. The scan will take only about a second or two, and will immediately display the information, like the brand name, prices, and where you can buy the item.

Method 2

Method 2 of 3:

Using Store Apps

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Many store apps have built-in barcode scanners that allow you to see prices for that item in their store. Two popular retailers, Walmart and Target, have this functionality in their app.
Tap the search button in the bottom-right corner and type the name of the store in the search bar. If the store has an app it should show up near the top.
This will begin installing the app.
You can open it directly from the App Store by clicking the blue Open button, or you can find it on your home screen to do so.
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Sign in, if required. Some apps require you to sign in, but most will let you continue as a guest. The option should be somewhere on the opening screen of the app.
- As each app will be laid out a bit differently, the location of each option or setting will be in a slightly different location.
Most of the time it's in the same location as the search bar, and looks like a barcode with a line through it.
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Tap OK to allow the app to access your camera. When you first try to use the camera in the app, the app will ask for permission to use your camera.
- If you don't tap OK, you can edit your app permissions by gong to Settings and scrolling until you find the store's app in the bottom section, then selecting the app and toggling on Camera.
If the item is available at that store, it will show up along with the price as well as some additional information. What information is displayed will vary by app.

Method 3

Method 3 of 3:

Scanning QR Codes

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Open your camera. While QR codes are not barcodes, they are similar technology. Most often QR codes are used as a way to display a link in a way that your phone can easily scan and open.^{[1]
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- Previously iPhones didnt have QR scanner functionality, but it was added as a native function in iOS 11.
Make sure the camera is focusing on the QR code.^{[2]
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A link will pop up once your phone recognizes you're scanning a QR code. Tap it to be directed to the webpage.^{[3]
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Research source}

Community Q&A

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Question

Can Snapchat scan barcodes?

Community Answer

It can only scan the barcodes of the accounts on other phones. It can not scan barcodes that are from a website.

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