Install the apps
WiScanner on your iPhone or Android phone, and the desktop client on your Windows PC or Mac.
Phone barcode scanner for PC
Use Your Phone as a Barcode Scanner for PC
Install WiScanner on your phone and the desktop client on your Windows PC or Mac. Every barcode you read with the phone camera is typed into the field that has the cursor – a spreadsheet cell, an ERP form, a browser page – over your local WiFi network.
Mobile app
Desktop app
How it works
From phone camera to PC cursor in four steps
Pair once
Put both devices on the same WiFi network, then scan the QR code shown by the desktop client – or enter its IP address and port 8099 manually.
Click the target field
Place the cursor where the barcode should go: an Excel cell, a search box, an order or item field.
Scan
The phone reads the barcode and the desktop client types it at the cursor, just like keyboard input.
Compatibility
Works with the software you already use
WiScanner does not need a plugin for each program. The desktop client sends the scanned value as keystrokes – the same way a USB scanner does – so any application that accepts typing can receive barcodes.
Spreadsheets
Excel and Numbers on the desktop, or Google Sheets and Excel in the browser.
Business software
ERP, WMS and accounting screens, whether they run as desktop programs or in a browser.
Web applications
Store admin panels, internal tools and online forms with a product code or search field.
Any text field
If you can click a field and type into it, you can scan into it from your phone.
Benefits
Why teams scan to the PC with a phone
No scanner hardware to buy
Use the phones your team already carries instead of buying and maintaining separate barcode readers.
No cable to the desk
Walk to the shelf or the pallet while the computer stays at the station.
Local network only
Scans travel over your own WiFi. An internet connection is not required to scan to the PC.
Enter after each scan
Automatic Enter is available on every plan, so each scan can submit a field or move to the next row.
Confirmation on the phone
Sound and vibration confirm each read, so you do not have to watch the monitor.
Single, multi and quantity modes
Scan one code per tap, scan continuously, or record a quantity with each barcode using Quantity Scan.
Platforms
Runs on the devices you already have
WiScanner has a phone app and a desktop client. The phone reads the barcode; the desktop client receives it on the computer.
iPhone
Install WiScanner from the App Store and scan with the camera.
Android
Install WiScanner from Google Play; the workflow is the same as on iPhone.
Windows
Install the PC client (MSI installer). It runs in the background and types incoming scans at the cursor.
macOS
Download the Mac client, open it and leave it running while you scan.
FAQ
Barcode scanner for PC questions
No. After pairing with a QR code or an IP address, the phone and the computer communicate over the same local WiFi network.
Yes. WiScanner has a desktop client for Windows and one for macOS. The phone app is available for iPhone and Android.
Any program with a field you can type into. The desktop client types the barcode at the cursor, so it works with spreadsheets, ERP and accounting software, browser applications and forms.
Not for scanning to the PC. Both devices only need to be on the same local network. Features that talk to Google Drive or a remote webhook do need internet access.
Yes. Your first 100 scans are free, with every scanning feature included. After that, buy a 1,000-scan pack for $2.99 or a 5,000-scan pack for $7.99 (scans never expire), or choose Pro at $9.90 per month or $99.90 per year for unlimited scans and store integrations.
Start scanning to your PC with your phone
Install WiScanner on your phone and computer, pair them once, and scan into any application.