Pill imprint search
Type the letters, numbers or code printed on your pill to see matching pills with pictures.
How to search by imprint
- Look at both sides of the pill in good light.
- Type everything you can read, with a space between the two sides, for example IBU 200.
- Leave out dashes, lines and logos. Spaces and capital letters do not matter.
- If you get many matches, add the color and shape.
- Open the closest match and check the photo, size and score line.
What a pill imprint tells you
The imprint, also called the imprint code, is the combination of letters, numbers and sometimes a logo pressed into or printed on a tablet or capsule. Together with the pill’s color, shape and size, it identifies the medicine, its strength and the company that made it. That is why it is the most reliable way to identify a pill.
When the imprint is hard to read
- Type the part you can read. Partial imprints still find matches.
- Characters that look alike are checked for you: 0 and O, 1, I and L, 5 and S, 8 and B.
- The order of the two sides does not matter: 30 M also finds M 30.
- Light the pill from the side so the letters cast a shadow.
Common questions
Why do different pills have the same imprint?
Some makers use the same code across strengths, and some pills are sold by several distributors under the original imprint. Compare the color, size and strength to tell them apart.
My search found nothing. What now?
Check for look-alike characters, type fewer characters, or remove the color and shape. Medicines made outside the US, supplements and recently changed products may not be listed. A pharmacist can identify the pill for you.
Is it safe to take a pill identified here?
Only take a medicine that was prescribed or recommended for you, and ask a pharmacist to confirm any pill you found. A match is a strong clue, not a confirmation.