Draw a live overlay on every barcode the camera sees. barKoder's AR Mode outlines each code, shows its value in a header label and lets users tap the codes they want. It is documented for Android, iOS, the Web SDK and every cross-platform framework barKoder supports.
An augmented reality barcode scanner reads codes and draws on the live camera view at the same time. barKoder's AR Mode tracks the position of each detected barcode and anchors an overlay to it, so users see which codes were read, which are selected and what they contain without switching screens or opening a scan history. It handles several barcodes in view at once.
AR Mode returns the decoded results to your app. Your app decides what to show and do next:
For background on the technology and where it is used, read Augmented Reality (AR) in barKoder Scanner: a smarter way to scan.
The overlay engine tracks barcode positions in real time and anchors information over each detected code in the camera preview.
See AR Mode running in the Augmented Reality Barcode Overlays in barKoder video.
Pick the AR mode that fits the workflow, then decide when the header label appears.
| Mode | Behavior | Typical use |
|---|---|---|
| interactiveEnabled | AR is on, and new barcodes are selected automatically | Every new code in view counts by default |
| interactiveDisabled | AR is on, but new barcodes are not selected by default | Users tap only the codes they need |
| nonInteractive | AR is on, and selection happens automatically without user interaction | No taps needed |
| matchFilter | Highlights the barcodes that match the values you set | Search & Find: locate one code among many |
| Setting | Result |
|---|---|
| never | No header text |
| always | A header above every detected barcode |
| onSelected | A header only when the barcode is selected |
The BarkoderARConfig class controls AR behavior, overlay rendering and styling, gestures and header display. The API reference also lists result limits, header text colors and margins, and the option to return results only at the end of an AR session.
Set Full HD resolution and slow decoding for the best results, keep the session open after each result, then choose a mode. These examples are copied from the barKoder docs.
bkdView.config.setBarkoderResolution(BarkoderResolution.FHD);
bkdView.config.getDecoderConfig().decodingSpeed = Barkoder.DecodingSpeed.Slow;
bkdView.config.setCloseSessionOnResultEnabled(false);
bkdView.config.arConfig.arMode = BarkoderARMode.InteractiveEnabled;
Overlay colors and the header label:
bkdView.config.arConfig.setSelectedLocationColor(Color.parseColor("#FF0000"));
bkdView.config.arConfig.setNonSelectedLocationColor(Color.parseColor("#00FF00"));
bkdView.config.arConfig.setHeaderShowMode(BarkoderARHeaderShowMode.ONSELECTED);
Barkoder.setCameraResolution(Barkoder.constants.CameraResolution.FHD);
Barkoder.setDecodingSpeed(Barkoder.constants.DecodingSpeed.Slow);
Barkoder.setContinuous(true);
Barkoder.setARMode(Barkoder.constants.BarkoderARMode.InteractiveEnabled);
Overlay colors and the header label:
Barkoder.setSelectedLocationColor("#00FF00");
Barkoder.setNonSelectedLocationLineColor("#FF0000");
Barkoder.setHeaderShowMode(Barkoder.constants.BarkoderARHeaderShowMode.ONSELECTED);
AR Mode examples for every SDK: Android, iOS, Web, Flutter, React Native, Capacitor, Cordova, .NET MAUI and NativeScript.
A shelf can show twenty barcodes when a worker needs one. With Search & Find, the user enters the value they are looking for and points the camera at the shelf. The scanner keeps checking the visible codes and highlights the match.
The match filter accepts an exact value, a regular expression with flags such as case-insensitive matching, or several values at once. Every result carries an isMatched state. returnOnlyMatchedResults decides whether your app also receives the other codes, and displayOnlyMatchedResults decides whether the overlay shows them.
Step-by-step examples are in the docs for Android and iOS. Read the full walkthrough in Search & Find: a smarter way to locate the right barcode.
bkdView.config.getDecoderConfig().matchFilter =
"[\"1234567890128\"]";
bkdView.config.arConfig.arMode = BarkoderARMode.MatchFilter;
bkdView.config.arConfig.returnOnlyMatchedResults = false;
bkdView.config.arConfig.displayOnlyMatchedResults = false;
Show stock availability, prices or promotion tags over products on the shelf, and let store staff answer customers without walking to a computer.
Barcode scanning for retail →
Highlight SKUs during cycle counts and bin checks. Workers see which items are already scanned, so misses and duplicates stand out.
Barcode scanning for warehousing →
Label medications, lab samples or patient IDs with the details staff need to check before they act.
Barcode scanning for healthcare →
Identify parts, tools and replaceable units, or pick out the right label on a parcel or pallet that carries several barcodes.
Barcode scanning for logistics →For warehouse teams: Augmented reality is the future of inventory. To read every code in view without an overlay, use Batch MultiScan.
AR Mode is documented for native Android and iOS, the Web SDK and every cross-platform framework barKoder supports.
Direct SDKs for mobile, browser, desktop and server environments.
Official integrations for teams building one application across platforms.
Operations teams that replaced hardware readers and older scanners with barKoder on phones, tablets and laptops.
Verified credentials
Certified information security management built around internationally recognized controls.
Official Solution Provider supporting standards-based barcode and data-capture workflows.
Solution Provider listing covering barcode, mobile application and 2D barcode capabilities.
Discover the barKoder Web SDK listing and connect through Microsoft Marketplace.
Registered Independent Software Vendor in Zebra's PartnerConnect ecosystem.
Install the free barKoder demo app, or open the web demo, and scan your own barcodes before you integrate the SDK.
iPhone and iPad
Scan with your camera, or point it at the QR code to open the App Store.
Android phones and tablets
Scan with your camera, or point it at the QR code to open Google Play.
Any modern browser
Runs the Web SDK in your browser, on desktop or mobile, with nothing to install.
Test with known samples. Print or display the testing sheet and scan each 1D and 2D barcode with the demo app. The data sheet summarizes the SDK for your team.
An augmented reality barcode scanner reads barcodes through the camera and draws information on top of the live view. Instead of returning one value and closing, it outlines each code it finds, labels it and shows which codes are selected, so users can act on what they see.
AR Mode is documented for Android, iOS, the Web SDK, Flutter, React Native, Capacitor, Cordova, .NET MAUI and NativeScript. Search & Find examples are published for Android and iOS, and the Flutter API reference lists the match filter settings. On the web, Search & Find is listed as coming next.
Yes. AR Mode scans and identifies multiple items in view at once and keeps an overlay on each one. You can cap the number of results per AR session and choose whether results reach your app as they are found or only when the session ends.
The header label uses a format string with placeholders, for example [barcode_text] - [barcode_type], and you set its colors, height and margins. To show stock, price or expiry, your app looks up the decoded value in its own system and acts on the selected codes.
The docs recommend Full HD resolution and the Slow decoding speed, with the session kept open after each result. On the web, the example turns on continuous mode with Barkoder.setContinuous(true).
Batch MultiScan reads many barcodes in one camera view and returns them to your app. AR Mode adds the visual layer on top: outlines, labels, selection and match highlighting on the camera preview.
Only for the license check, which each device needs at least once every 30 days. Scanning runs locally on the device, and the SDK doesn't store personal information retrieved from scanning.
Get a free trial license for 30 days and up to 25 devices from the trial page, then follow the AR Mode example for your platform. For volume licensing, see barKoder pricing or request a quote.
Test AR Mode on your own shelves, parcels and labels with a free 30-day trial, or talk to an SDK expert about your workflow.
