Barcode scanners use infrared light to read barcodes, meaning certain colour combinations may be invisible to the scanner, even if visible to the human eye. It’s important to carefully choose colours during the design stage to ensure your barcode scans properly at the point of sale (POS).
General Colour Guidelines for Barcodes:
- Vertical bars should be darker than the background for clear visibility.
- Warm colours (like orange, red, and yellow) are difficult for scanners to detect. These colours should be avoided for the bars, though they can be used for the background in moderation.
- Blues, blacks, greens, and browns are easily detected by scanners and are ideal for the vertical bars.
- Reflective surfaces should be avoided, as they can interfere with scanning by reflecting light back at the scanner.
- Quiet zones (the white space on either side of the barcode) are essential for accurate scanning. Do not reduce or remove these areas.
The most widely accepted and optimal colour combination is black bars on a white background. Below are examples of both acceptable and unacceptable colour combinations. If you’re unsure about a specific colour scheme, feel free to email us at contact@barcodesavers.hk.
Note: Some smartphone apps may still be able to scan barcodes with problematic colour combinations, but retail scanners that use infrared light will not.
Scannable Colours
- Ideal: Black bars on a white background
- Acceptable: Dark blue bars on a light background
- Unacceptable: Red, orange, yellow bars on any background
Non Scannable Colours
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