Fix food scans and barcode lookups

Check camera access and your connection

Open Scan from the Food tab. If the camera won't open, check Helthy's camera permission in your phone settings. You'll also need an internet connection to look up foods, analyze a photo or save a meal. If one of those steps fails, check your connection before trying again.

If a meal photo looks wrong

1. Take a clear photo in good light, with the food visible. Move any packaging that's covering the meal and avoid glare.
2. Check the foods and portions Helthy identifies before you log them. Sauces, cooking oil and drinks can be hard to see in a photo.
3. If Helthy has identified the wrong food, tap Not right? and rescan with a hint, or search for the food yourself.
4. For packaged food, compare the result with its nutrition label. Use the same serving size or weight when comparing the numbers.

A photo gives you an estimate to review. Correct the food and amount to match what you ate, then confirm the entry.

If a barcode is not found

• Keep the whole barcode in frame and hold your phone steady. If glare or a damaged package makes it hard to scan, try entering the digits below the barcode.
• If Helthy reads the barcode but can't find the food, the product may be missing from the database. Scan its nutrition label or enter the label values manually.
• Check the product, serving size and units before logging. If the result doesn't match the package, correct your entry using the label.

If you hit a scan limit or still need help

Photo and nutrition-label scans share a weekly allowance on the free plan; the app tells you when you've used it. Barcode scans are free and don't use that allowance. Pro removes the photo and label scan limits.

If you still can't scan, tell support your device, app version, the error message and whether you were scanning a meal, label or barcode. For a packaged food that won't look up correctly, its barcode and a clear photo of the nutrition label help us check it.