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Identify Items from a Photo with AI

Snap the box, cover or label, and AI fills in the details

Some things have no barcode, and some barcodes find nothing. For those, add a photo of the item when you create it and tap Identify with AI. Owlect works out what the item is and fills in its name and your collection's own fields, such as set number, author, publisher or year. It works on every collection type, including custom ones. The result is a best guess, so you look it over before you save.

Create a collection See how it works

What it looks like in the app

How it works

Add a photo to a new item
Open a collection, tap +, and add a photo: the box, the cover, the label, the card, or the object itself. The photo uploads as the item's cover, the same way any photo does.
Tap “Identify with AI”
The button appears under the photo once it has uploaded. Identifying usually takes a few seconds, and occasionally up to half a minute.
Check what was filled in
Owlect fills in the name and the fields your collection has, and only fills fields that are still empty, so anything you already typed stays as it is. It is a best guess: read it over and correct anything that is off.
Save the item
Save when the details look right. The photo stays as the cover. If Owlect cannot tell what the item is, it says so and you fill it in yourself.

Frequently asked questions

Which collection types does it work with?

Every type, including custom collections. Owlect fills the fields your collection actually has: a LEGO set gets its set number and piece count, a book its author and publisher, a coin its country and year. A custom collection gets whatever fields you set up.

How accurate is it?

Treat it as a best guess. It works best on a clear, well-lit photo of the front, cover or label, where names and numbers are readable. Common items are usually right; rare variants, coins and obscure records are harder, and the details can be off. Check the result before you save.

How many photos can I identify?

The Free plan includes 3 a day, Owlect Plus 10 a day and Owlect Pro 20 a day. Each plan also has a monthly cap of 10 times its daily number. Daily scans reset at midnight UTC. On Plus and Pro the month starts on your renewal day; on Free it starts on the 1st.

What if I run out of scans?

You can buy a one-time pack of scan credits on the AI scan credits page in the app (owlect.app/app/credits): 50, 250 or 1000 scans, from $2.99. It is not a subscription. Credits never expire and are used only when your remaining daily or monthly scans can't cover a scan. A single-item scan uses one credit and a shelf photo uses 3.

What happens to my photo?

The photo becomes the item's cover through the normal upload, like any photo you add. To identify the item, a resized copy is sent to an AI service. Owlect does not keep that copy or a history of your scans. If you remove the photo, the button goes away.

Should I use this or the barcode scanner?

If the item has a barcode, scan it first: it is quicker, exact and does not use an AI scan. Use a photo when there is no barcode, or when the barcode lookup comes back empty. The full comparison covers speed, accuracy and limits.