This barcode scanner test shows exactly what a scanner sends to your computer. Most scanners act as a keyboard, so the page records every key press: the characters, how fast they arrived, the key that came after the code and anything invisible such as a group separator. Scan the printable test sheet and each of its 22 codes gets a pass or fail, with the reason when something is wrong. It works with USB, Bluetooth and 2.4 GHz wireless scanners on Windows, Mac, ChromeOS, Linux, Android and iPad, and the camera and image readers turn the page into a barcode reader for any phone or laptop.
How to test a barcode scanner
- Connect the scanner. A USB scanner works as soon as it is plugged in. A Bluetooth scanner must be paired first, usually by scanning the pairing code in its manual.
- Print the test sheet with Print the sheet, or download the PDF for US Letter or A4. Print at 100% or Actual size, not Fit to page.
- Click the scan box, then scan code 1. The scan box shows what arrived, and the readouts below it fill in.
- Work through the sheet. Each code in the list on the right turns green for a pass, yellow for a read with a setting to check, or orange for a fail.
- No printer? Press Scan codes from this screen to show each code full size, then scan your monitor. This works with imager scanners, not with most laser models.
- Press Copy results to paste a full report into a support ticket or an email to your IT team.
What the readouts mean
| Readout | What it tells you | Normal result |
|---|---|---|
| Characters | How many characters the last scan typed | The length of the value printed under the code |
| Speed | Characters per second, from the time between key presses | Over 100 for most USB scanners. A person types 3 to 10 |
| Suffix | The key sent after the code | Enter, or Tab if your software moves between fields |
| Result | Whether the scan matches a code on the sheet | PASS |
| Sheet codes | How many of the 22 sheet codes have passed | 22 for a 2D imager, 10 to 14 for a 1D scanner |
A yellow CHECK means the scanner read the code but a setting changed the data, for example a dropped check digit. The note under the scan box names the setting to look for in the manual.
The scanner beeps but nothing appears
A beep only means the scanner decoded the code. If nothing reaches the page, the data is going somewhere else.
- The scanner is in serial mode. Many scanners can act as a USB serial (COM) port instead of a keyboard. Scan the "USB keyboard" or "HID keyboard" setup code in the manual. To read a scanner that must stay in serial mode, use the usb serial monitor online.
- Windows does not see it. Try another USB port on the computer itself. If Device Manager shows an unknown device, follow the usb device not recognized steps.
- A Bluetooth scanner paired with another device. It types into the phone or PC it last connected to. Unpair it there, or work through the bluetooth not working fixes.
- Only the Enter key arrives. The scanner sends its suffix but no data, which also points to serial or app mode.
Because a scanner is a keyboard as far as the computer knows, the keyboard tester also shows its key presses if you want a second check.
Numbers or symbols come out wrong
A keyboard wedge scanner sends key positions, not characters. If the scanner is set to a US layout and the computer uses another, the same keys produce different characters. The test catches this on code 1 and names both layouts.
- On a French or Belgian AZERTY computer, digits need Shift, so a US scanner types & é " ' ( instead of 1 2 3 4 5.
- On a German or Swiss QWERTZ computer, Y and Z swap and the minus sign comes out as ß or an apostrophe.
- Spanish, Italian and Nordic layouts put the minus sign and slash on different keys, so part numbers with - or / break.
To fix it, scan the "keyboard country" or "keyboard language" setup code for your layout in the scanner's manual. Some scanners also offer an Alt code or universal keyboard mode that types correctly on any Windows layout. Changing the computer instead also works: on Windows, the layout is under Settings, then Time and language, then Language and region, and Windows key + Space switches between installed layouts.
Letters come out in the wrong case
If code 1 shows zY-aQ/wM instead of Zy-Aq/Wm, Caps Lock is on. The scanner holds Shift for capital letters and Caps Lock reverses it. Turn Caps Lock off, or set the scanner's keyboard option to Caps Lock override, which most makers include in the keyboard wedge section of the manual. If every letter comes out in capitals instead, the scanner has a case conversion setting switched on.
No Enter after the code, or two scans run together
The Suffix readout shows the key that followed the data. With None, your software cannot tell where one scan ends, so two quick scans join into one long value. Scan the "add CR suffix" or "Enter suffix" setup code. Point of sale and stock software usually wants Enter. Spreadsheets and forms with several fields often work better with Tab.
Characters go missing
If a code comes through with one or more characters missing and the speed readout is very high, the scanner is typing faster than the computer or app accepts. This happens most in remote desktop sessions, virtual machines and some web apps. Set an intercharacter delay of 5 to 20 ms in the scanner settings and test again. The test reports exactly which code lost characters and how many.
Some barcode types do not scan
- 1D scanners cannot read 2D codes. QR, Data Matrix and Aztec need an imager, and so does PDF417 except on the few 1D models sold with a PDF417 option.
- Symbologies switched off. Many scanners ship with less common types such as Codabar, Code 93 or ITF turned off, and some only accept ITF at set lengths. Turn them on with the setup codes in the manual.
- Bars too thin. Codes 19 to 22 print Code 128 with bars from 7.5 mil (0.19 mm) to 20 mil (0.51 mm). Standard range scanners read 10 mil and above easily. Smaller bars need a high density model held closer.
- Inverted codes. Code 12 is white on black, like a code on a phone screen in dark mode. Scanners need an inverse or "reverse video" option switched on to read it.
UPC codes gain or lose a digit
UPC-A has 12 digits. A scanner can add a leading zero to make it a 13 digit EAN-13, drop the first or last digit, or expand an 8 digit UPC-E to 12 digits. These are settings, not faults, and the test tells you which one you have. Make the output match what your stock or till software expects, and look for the UPC-A and UPC-E pages in the scanner manual, since setting names differ between makers.
Barcode reader online with your camera or a picture
Press Camera to read codes with a phone, tablet or webcam, or Image file to read a photo or screenshot. Every common type is supported: QR Code, Data Matrix, PDF417, Aztec, MaxiCode, Code 128, Code 39, Code 93, Codabar, EAN-13, EAN-8, UPC-A, UPC-E, ITF and GS1 DataBar. For each code you get the text, the type, the error correction level, the raw bytes and, for GS1 codes, each field decoded with its name, such as the product number, batch and expiry date.
For the best camera reads, fill about half the frame with the code, hold steady for a second and avoid glare. If the camera will not start, the webcam test helps you find out why. The image reader is also a quick way to check a label design before you print a whole batch. To check the printer itself, print a label printer test page.
Printing the barcode scanner test sheet
Print on plain white paper with a laser printer if you have one, at 100% scale. Check the 50 mm bar at the bottom with a ruler. If it is shorter, the sheet was scaled down and the thinnest codes may fail for that reason alone. Inkjet prints work, but ink spread can thicken bars on cheap paper, so a failed 7.5 mil code on an inkjet print is not proof of a weak scanner. For receipt and label hardware, check the printer itself with a receipt printer test page.
What this test cannot check
The page sees what the scanner types, not the scanner itself. It cannot change scanner settings, read a scanner that is in serial or app mode, or measure scan range, motion tolerance or battery life. Timing comes from the browser's key events, which are accurate to about a millisecond, so speeds over 1,000 characters per second are estimates. The camera reader shows what a phone camera can decode, which is not the same as what a dedicated scanner can.
If you came here to check a flatbed or document feeder scanner instead, use the scanner test page, which measures real scan resolution and finds streaks.
Barcode scanner test questions
How do I test a barcode scanner?
Plug it in or pair it, open this page and scan a code from the test sheet. The scan box shows every character the scanner typed, the key it sent after the code, and a pass or fail against the value printed under that code. Try all 22 codes to see which types your scanner reads.
Can I read a barcode online without a scanner?
Yes. Press Camera and point your phone or laptop camera at the code, or press Image file and open a photo or screenshot. The page reads QR codes, Data Matrix, PDF417, Aztec and all common 1D barcodes on your device, without uploading anything.
Why does my barcode scanner type the wrong characters?
Almost always because the scanner and the computer use different keyboard layouts. A scanner sends key positions, so a US set scanner on a French computer types & é " instead of 1 2 3. Scan code 1 on the sheet and the test names both layouts and the fix.
Why will my scanner not read QR codes?
Laser and linear barcode scanners read only 1D barcodes, apart from a few models sold with a PDF417 option. QR, Data Matrix and the other 2D codes need a 2D imager scanner. If codes 11 to 18 on the sheet never read but the 1D codes do, your scanner is a 1D model.
How do I make my scanner press Enter after each scan?
Scan the "add Enter suffix" or "CR suffix" setup code in your scanner's manual. Most scanners send Enter by default, so if the Suffix readout says None, someone has changed it. Tab is the other common choice for moving to the next field.
Is this barcode reader safe to use?
Yes. Scans, camera pictures and images are read inside this browser tab and are not uploaded or stored. QR codes can still point to fake websites, so check any address before you open it.