Entering an ISBN manually

If your barcode is damaged, faded, or won’t scan, you can type the ISBN by hand and we’ll look it up the same way.

How to enter an ISBN manually

1. Open the Scan tab.
2. Tap Enter ISBN Manually at the bottom of the screen.
3. Type the 13-digit ISBN. It usually starts with 978 or 979.
4. Tap Look Up.

You’ll see the same result modals (Found / Coming Soon / Pending / Not Found) as a barcode scan would produce.

Where to find the ISBN

The ISBN is the 13-digit number near the barcode on the back cover. It’s also printed:

• On the copyright page inside the front cover (sometimes alongside a 10-digit ISBN — use the 13-digit version)
• On the publisher’s website
• On retailer pages (Amazon, Barnes & Noble, etc.)

Common formatting issues

• Hyphens — You can include or omit hyphens (978-1-9745-1234-5 and 9781974512345 both work). We strip them automatically.
• Spaces — Same — we ignore spaces.
• 10-digit ISBNs — Older volumes sometimes only show a 10-digit ISBN. Type it in and we’ll convert it to the 13-digit equivalent automatically. If we can’t find it that way, look for the 13-digit version.

Why didn’t my scan work but manual entry did?

Common reasons:

• The barcode is partially obscured (sticker, price tag, scuff).
• The cover is heavily curled or reflective.
• The lighting is too dim or too bright (glare).
• The camera lens is smudged.

Manual entry bypasses all of those — same lookup, just slower.

What if the volume isn’t found either way?

If we can’t match the ISBN — whether scanned or typed — you can request that we add it to the catalog. See What “Not Found” means and how to request a manga.