When you scan a barcode in MigraineMe, we look it up in a public food database called Open Food Facts. It has millions of products, but it does not have every single one. If a scan is not working, start with the simple things first.
The steps are the same on iPhone and on Android.
Where the scanner lives
The barcode scanner is on the Monitor tab, not in the migraine wizard.
- Open MigraineMe.
- Tap the Monitor tab at the bottom.
- Tap the Diet card.
- In the Add Food card you will see a search box and a small barcode icon next to it. That barcode icon opens the scanner.
Step 1: Hold the phone steady and give it good light
Most failed scans are not the app's fault, they are about how the barcode is lined up.
- Hold the phone about a hand's width away from the barcode.
- Make sure the room is bright. A reading lamp, a window, or the kitchen light all help.
- Keep the phone still. Even a tiny wobble can stop the scanner from reading the lines.
- Wait a couple of seconds without moving. The app will close the scanner when it finds the code.
If the barcode is wrapped around a curved packet (like a tin or a bottle), try flattening the curve out a little with your fingers.
Step 2: Clean the camera lens
A smudge of butter or a fingerprint on the camera can make every scan fail.
- Turn the phone over and look at the small dark circles on the back. That is the camera.
- Wipe them gently with a soft cloth, the corner of a shirt, or a glasses cloth.
- Try scanning again.
Step 3: Make sure the barcode is the right kind
MigraineMe reads the standard barcodes you see on shop products (the black lines, sometimes with numbers underneath). It does not read the square pattern codes (those are QR codes, used for websites).
If the packet only has a QR code and no normal barcode, you will need to add the food by typing.
Step 4: Try again with better contrast
If the barcode is on shiny silver foil, or printed in pale grey on white, the camera can struggle.
- Tilt the packet a little to cut the glare.
- Move into softer light, away from a bright bulb above your head.
- Try again.
Step 5: Add the food by typing instead
If the barcode just will not scan, or if the product really is not in the database, you can still log the food.
- On the Monitor tab, open the Diet card and tap the search box in the Add Food card.
- Type the plain name of the food (for example "cheddar cheese" or "custard cream biscuits"). The search uses the USDA food database, so plain food names work better than shop brand names.
- Tap the matching item from the list.
This works for foods that have no barcode at all, like an apple from your fruit bowl. You can also tap Photograph your meal and let the app pick out the foods.
Step 6: Try a different product to test the scanner
If you are not sure whether the scanner is broken or the product is just missing:
- Pick something common from your kitchen, like a tin of beans or a bottle of fizzy drink.
- Try to scan that barcode.
- If it works, the scanner is fine. The first product is simply not in the database yet.
- If it does not work, move on to Step 7.
Step 7: Restart MigraineMe and the phone
A full restart fixes stuck cameras.
- Close MigraineMe (swipe it away from the open apps).
- Open it again.
- If that does not help, restart the whole phone.
A note on the food database
The food database (Open Food Facts) is built by volunteers around the world. Big-brand products are nearly always there. Small local brands, supermarket own-brands from smaller chains, and very new products may not be there yet. When that happens, typing the name is the right move.
If none of these work
Please write to us at help@migraineme.app with:
- Your phone make and model
- The product and its barcode number (the number printed under the lines)
- What happens when you try to scan (does the screen go dark, does it just sit there, does it say an error)
- A photo of the packet if you can
