Barcode lookup: type the number, see the product
By mise · Updated September 30, 2026
Type a UPC or EAN. Free, no sign-up. If we don't know it, our AI finds it and emails you.
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Related tools: barcode lookup · UPC lookup · EAN lookup · barcode lookup UK · country codes · UPC vs EAN vs GTIN
Quick answer: to look up a barcode, type the 12- or 13-digit number into a lookup tool such as the free box on this page; it returns the product name, brand, category, size and photo. A 12-digit code is a UPC (US and Canada), a 13-digit code is an EAN (everywhere else) and they are the same number with or without a leading zero. If mise doesn't know the code yet, its AI finds the product and emails you the answer.
You have the digits printed under the bars and you want to know what they are. Here is what the box gives you back, what the number itself can tell you, and what to do when nothing turns up.
What you get back
A curated record, not a scrape of shopping offers: the product name, the brand, a category, the pack size and a photo, plus a reference price inside the app. The mise AI finds the product from the barcode or a photo, whether it comes from the US, the UK, Europe or Latin America. When a code isn't there, the page doesn't stop at "not found": the code goes to mise's AI, which researches it on the web, and the page refreshes itself for up to five minutes. Leave your email and you get the answer even if you've closed the tab.
UPC or EAN? Count the digits
12 digits — a UPC-A, the format on almost everything sold in the United States and Canada. 13 digits — an EAN-13, used in the UK, Europe, Latin America, Asia and Australia. They are one system: a UPC is an EAN-13 with an invisible leading zero, so 038000138416 and 0038000138416 are the same product. 8 digits — EAN-8 or UPC-E, the short format on small packs like gum, lip balm and single cans. 14 digits — a case code (GTIN-14), the number on the outer box, not on the unit. More in UPC vs EAN vs GTIN; dedicated tools: UPC lookup and EAN lookup.
Why nothing was found
- In-store code. Codes starting with 2 (02 on a 12-digit UPC) are printed by the store's scale or label printer for weighed items, deli, bakery and reduced-price stickers. They only exist inside that chain.
- Case code. 14-digit codes (GTIN-14, ITF-14, "DUN-14") identify the shipping case, not the unit. The unit code is usually inside: drop the first digit, drop the last, recalculate the check digit.
- Small or local brand. The code is valid but the product was never listed in a public catalog. This is the case our AI is built for — leave the code in the box and it goes looking.
- Misread number. One wrong digit produces a code that doesn't exist. The check digit catches it (see below).
- Leading zero. A 12-digit UPC may be stored with a 0 in front as 13 digits, or the other way round. Our lookup tries both; some databases don't.
Check the number before you search again
For a 12-digit UPC: add the digits in the odd positions (1st, 3rd, 5th, 7th, 9th, 11th) and multiply by 3; add the digits in the even positions except the last; add both results; the check digit is whatever gets you to the next multiple of 10.
What the first digits say about the country
The first three digits are the GS1 prefix: the country where the company registered its numbers — not where the product was made. A few you'll see constantly:
| Prefix | Registered with |
|---|---|
| 000–139 (12-digit UPC) | GS1 US / Canada |
| 500–509 | GS1 UK |
| 400–440 | Germany |
| 690–699 | China |
| 2 (or 02 on a UPC) | In-store code — no public database has it |
The complete table, with a section for every leading digit, is on barcode country codes. In the UK? Barcode lookup UK covers the 50 prefix and supermarket in-store codes.
How to look up a barcode for free with mise
- The box at the top of this page — the mise AI looks the code up and, if it doesn't know the product yet, researches it and emails you the answer. No sign-up, no daily cap.
- Type every digit — all 12 of a UPC or all 13 of an EAN, leading zeros included. The box checks the last digit first, so a typo is flagged before it turns into a "not found".
- Leave your email if you like — when the AI is still researching a code, the answer goes to your inbox as soon as the product is identified, so you can close the tab.
- Search by name when there's no barcode — type the product name and the box returns the matching products with their codes.
- Scan instead of typing — in the mise app the camera reads the code and the same database answers, with no limit on how many you look up.
Point the camera instead
Typing is how most "not found" results happen. mise reads the code with the phone camera, returns the product complete — name, brand, category, size, photo and a reference price — and drops it straight into your inventory count with the quantity you type. No spreadsheet, no product setup. 7 days free, no card, then US$33 a month.
Point the camera and the product comes up complete: name, brand, category, size and photo — the mise AI finds it from the barcode or a photo. 7 days free, no card, then US$33 a month.
Start free
Looking for the counting side? See inventory count app (US) or stock take app (UK).
Frequently asked questions
Is barcode lookup free?
Yes. The box on this page is free, needs no account and has no daily cap. Codes mise doesn't know yet go to its AI, which researches them at no charge. What costs money everywhere is bulk lookup for thousands of codes.
Can I find the price from a barcode?
Not from the number itself — there is no price inside a UPC or EAN. What you can get is a reference price: the mise app shows one alongside the product. Prices vary by store, region and deal.
Can I look up a barcode by product name?
Yes. Switch the box to "By product name", type part of the name or the brand, and pick the product from the list to see its barcode, brand and photo. It searches the same 5-million-product database.
Can a barcode tell me if a product is genuine?
Not on its own. A barcode identifies the product, not the unit, and a counterfeit can copy the number exactly. What you can check is that the code exists, that the check digit adds up and that the product it returns matches the pack in your hand. Anything else needs the brand's own verification.
Does the barcode show the expiration date?
No. A retail barcode carries only the product identity. Expiration dates, batch numbers and weights live in a separate GS1-128 or DataMatrix code on cases and pharmacy packs, or are simply printed as text.
What does a barcode starting with 0 mean?
That the company registered its numbers with GS1 US (or Canada). On a 12-digit UPC the 0 usually isn't printed at all. It is not a guarantee the product was made in the United States.
How do I look up a barcode from a photo?
Open the mise app and point the camera at the code — it reads it and looks it up in one step, which removes typing errors. You can also snap the label itself: the AI reads the product name and identifies it even when the barcode is damaged.