Scan is the fast way in for anything with a barcode: food, books, boxed electronics.
How it goes
- Press Use the camera and point it at a barcode, or type the number in.
- It looks the code up — books in Open Library, everything else in Open Food Facts — and suggests a name, tags and a picture.
- Check the name, choose where it's going and how many, and press Stash it.
Nothing is stashed until you press the button. A lookup is a suggestion.
What the result means
- Is this it?
- One of the databases knows it. Adjust anything that's wrong.
- You already have this
- The code is already on a thing in this space. Stashing adds more stock to that thing rather than making a second one.
- Not in any database
- Neither database has it. Give it a name and the code is remembered, so the next scan finds it.
The camera won't start
Scanning works in any up-to-date browser, iPhone and iPad included. The first time, the browser asks whether this site may use the camera: say yes. If you said no, allow it again in the browser's settings for this site.
On an iPhone or iPad the first scan takes a moment longer, because the page fetches its barcode reader then. After that it's quick.
If the camera still won't cooperate, type the number printed under the barcode instead — it does exactly the same thing.