Power Platform Community Forum Thread Details

Power Apps Barcode Reader Control lacks camera preview — UX regression

Hello Microsoft team,

I’d like to raise a concern regarding the Barcode Reader control in Power Apps, specifically about the lack of camera preview during scanning.

Issue Summary

The Barcode Reader control does not display the camera feed on the app screen during scanning.

This behavior makes it impossible for users to adjust the scan angle or position, which is critical in many business scenarios.

The previous Barcode Scanner control allowed camera preview and UI customization, but the new control launches a native scanner view that is not editable or visible in Power Apps Studio.

UX Impact

This change significantly degrades the user experience:

Users cannot confirm the scan area before scanning.

Developers cannot design or customize the scanning interface.

The control behaves like a black box, reducing transparency and flexibility.

Suggested Improvements

Please consider the following enhancements:

Add an option to show camera preview within the Power Apps canvas.

Allow developers to customize the scanning UI, including overlays or guide frames.

Provide documentation that clearly states the control’s limitations and differences from the previous version.

This change feels like a step backward in terms of UI/UX design. In business applications, precise control and visual feedback are essential. We hope Microsoft will reconsider this design and provide more flexible options for developers and users.

Thank you for your attention.

Categories:

Authentication

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