RiScan
How to Scan Expiration Dates with Your iPhone Camera
Short answer: yes, your iPhone can read the expiry date printed on a package — no typing, no barcode lookup. Here's how it works and how to set it up in under a minute.
Two kinds of “scanning” — and why the difference matters
Most food-tracking apps scan the barcode. A barcode identifies the product, but it says nothing about your item's date — the app then guesses a typical shelf life from a database. That guess can be off by weeks for items like yogurt, or by years for canned goods bought on sale near their date.
Date scanning is different: the camera reads the actual expiry date stamped on your specific package using on-device text recognition. The result isn't an estimate — it's the exact date the manufacturer printed.
| Barcode apps | Date scanning (RiScan) | |
|---|---|---|
| What's read | Product identity | The printed date itself |
| Date accuracy | Estimated shelf life | Exact |
| Works without a database | No | Yes — any product, any store |
| Unpackaged / local products | Often missing | Works if a date is printed |
Scanning a date with RiScan, step by step
- Open RiScan and tap +. The scanner opens with a viewfinder.
- Point the camera at the printed date. Hold the frame over the date stamp — on the lid, the seam, or the back label. RiScan reads it automatically and confirms with a blue check. It understands over 70 formats: “2026.11”, “BEST BY 03/2027”, or ambiguous codes like “28.3.27” (more on those in how to read date codes).
- Take a photo of the product. This is the step barcode apps skip — and the reason RiScan lists never turn into mystery entries. The photo shows exactly which jar or box the date belongs to.
- Done. The item lands in a list sorted by urgency, and a notification arrives before the date does.
Free on the App Store. Scan your first product in ten seconds — no account needed.
Tips for tricky dates
- Embossed or dot-matrix prints (common on cans and bottles): angle the package so the date catches the light instead of shadow.
- Curved surfaces: center the date in the frame; the scanner handles moderate curvature on jars and bottles.
- No date printed or unreadable print: RiScan also supports manual entry — type or edit the date, keep the photo.
Is my data private?
Recognition happens on your device, and your list is stored on your device with optional iCloud backup and sync. There's no account, and no personal data is collected — details in the privacy policy.
What to scan first
Start with the items most likely to be forgotten: the pantry's back row (pantry inventory guide), the medicine cabinet (medicine expiry guide), and your emergency supplies (rotation guide).