2D Code Scanner

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Aztec Code

The camera app can scan this. The Zebra app can scan this.

Aztec Code is a square 2D barcode built around a central bullseye finder pattern. Because it needs no quiet zone, it fits neatly on tickets and phone screens, which is why many railways and airlines use it.

Also called Aztec barcode, Aztec 2D.

Specifications

StandardISO/IEC 24778; AIM ISS Aztec Code
Character setFull ASCII / 8-bit bytes; ECI
CapacityUp to 3832 digits, 3067 alphanumeric characters or 1914 bytes
Error correctionReed-Solomon error correction, user-selectable (PDF: 5-95 %)
Dimension2D matrix
OriginInvented by Andrew Longacre Jr. and Robert Hussey at Welch Allyn in 1995

Where it is used

Transport tickets (rail, airline boarding passes), patient wristbands, vehicle registration

Rail and airline tickets use it because the finder sits in the centre and the symbol does not need a blank margin.

The camera app can scan a large, bright symbol on a phone screen. It returns the booking string and does not interpret it. The Zebra app can scan this too.

Example

Aztec barcode is great

Scan and create

Create this codeCamera appZebra app

Create this code opens the barcode generator with this symbology and the sample text filled in.

The camera app can scan this and shows it as Aztec. It returns the raw text. It does not open links, look up products, or start a payment. The desktop companion types that text into the focused field.

The Zebra app can scan this. It returns the raw text.

Related codes

Questions

Why is it called Aztec Code?

The name comes from the finder in the centre, a bullseye that looks a little like an Aztec pyramid from above. Andrew Longacre Jr. and Robert Hussey designed it in 1995. The standard is ISO/IEC 24778.

How is Aztec Code different from a QR code?

A QR Code puts finder squares in three corners and needs a quiet margin. Aztec Code puts the finder in the centre and does not need that margin, which is why it fits on tickets. The camera app can scan both. Each result is the raw text.

Can I scan an Aztec code from a phone screen?

Yes, when the symbol is large enough and the screen is bright. The camera app can scan this. The Zebra app can scan this. A rail ticket may store a booking string. The app does not interpret that booking.