How to set up a handheld barcode scanner

Updated August 07, 2026 09:17

SUMMARY

Use this guide to set up the Factbird handheld barcode scanner. This includes pairing the scanner with its cradle, restoring factory settings if required, configuring scanner behaviour, and verifying that scanned barcodes are transmitted correctly to Factbird.

WHEN TO USE THIS

Use this guide if:

You are setting up a new handheld barcode scanner.
You need to reconnect a scanner to its cradle.
You want to reset the scanner to its default configuration.
You want to configure how scanned barcodes are transmitted.

PREREQUISITES

Before starting:

The handheld barcode scanner is available.
The charging cradle is connected to power.
The cradle is connected to the workstation or host device using USB.
The scanner battery is charged.

STEPS

1. Connect the cradle

Connect the scanner cradle to the workstation using the supplied USB cable.
Connect the cradle to power if required.
Place the scanner in the cradle and allow it to charge.

2. Pair the scanner

The scanner and cradle are normally paired before shipment.

If pairing is required:

Place the scanner in the cradle.
Wait approximately five seconds.
Scan the pairing barcode provided with the cradle.

The scanner should reconnect automatically.

3. Restore the default configuration (optional)

If the scanner has previously been configured:

Scan the Restore Defaults barcode to restore the saved default configuration.

If you want to remove all custom settings:

Scan the Set Factory Defaults barcode.

Note

Restore Defaults restores previously saved custom defaults if they exist.
Set Factory Defaults removes all custom settings and restores the original factory configuration.

4. Configure the scanner

Configure the scanner by scanning the required programming barcodes.

Common settings include:

High, Medium, or Low beeper volume.
Add an Enter (Carriage Return) after each scan.
Add a Tab after each scan.
Enable or disable transmission of barcode type identifiers (Code ID).

These settings determine how scanned data is sent to the connected device.

5. Test the scanner

Open a text editor or the Factbird application.
Scan a barcode.
Verify that:
- The barcode value appears correctly.
- The configured suffix (for example, Enter) is added if enabled.
- A confirmation beep is heard.

User Preferences

Default Parameters

NOTE To pair the scanner and cradle after scanning Set Factory Defaults either insert the scanner in the cradle to pair or wait five seconds before scanning the pairing bar code on the cradle.

Scan one of the following bar codes to reset the scanner to its default settings as follows:

Restore Defaults resets all default parameters as follows:
If you configured custom default parameter values via the Write to Custom Defaults bar code, scanning the Restore Defaults bar code restores these custom values.
If you did not configure custom default parameter values, scanning the Restore Defaults bar code restores the factory default values. See Appendix A, Standard Default Parameters for these values.
Set Factory Defaults clears all custom default values and sets the factory default values. See Appendix A, Standard Default Parameters for these values.

Write to Custom Defaults

To create a set of custom defaults, select the desired parameter values in this guide, and then scan Write to Custom Defaults.

Restore Defaults

Set Factory Defaults

Write to Custom Defaults

Beeper Volume

Parameter # 140

SSI # 8Ch

Scan one of the following bar codes to select a beeper volume.

Low Volume (2)

Medium Volume (1)

*High Volume(0)

User Preferences & Miscellaneous Options 5 - 31

Miscellaneous Scanner Parameters

Enter Key

Scan the following bar code to add an Enter key (carriage return/line feed) after scanned data. To program other prefixes and/or suffixes, see Prefix/Suffix Values on page 5-33.

Add Enter Key (Carriage Return/Line Feed)

Tab Key

Scan the following bar code to add a Tab key after scanned data.

Tab Key

5 - 32 DS2278 Digital Scanner Product Reference Guide

Transmit Code ID Character

Parameter # 45

SSI # 2Dh

A Code ID character identifies the code type of a scanned bar code. This is useful when decoding more than one code type. In addition to any single character prefix selected, the Code ID character is inserted between the prefix and the decoded symbol.

Select no Code ID character, a Symbol Code ID character, or an AIM Code ID character. For Code ID characters, see Symbol Code Identifiers on page E-1 and AIM Code Identifiers on page E-3.

NOTE If you enable Symbol Code ID Character or AIM Code ID Character, and enable Transmit “No Read” Message on page 5-37, the scanner appends the code ID for Code 39 to the NR message.

Symbol Code ID Character (2)

AIM Code ID Character (1)

*None(0)

User Preferences & Miscellaneous Options 5 - 37

Transmit “No Read” Message

Parameter # 94

SSI # 5Eh

Scan one of the following bar codes to set an option for transmitting the No Read (NR) characters:

NOTE If you enable Transmit No Read, and also enable Symbol Code ID Character or AIM Code ID Character for Transmit Code ID Character on page 5-32, the scanner appends the code ID for Code 39 to the NR message.

NOTE This does not apply in presentation mode.

Enable No Read - This transmits the characters NR when a successful decode does not occur before trigger release or the Decode Session Timeout expires. See Decode Session Timeout on page 5-22.
Disable No Read - This sends nothing to the host if a symbol does not decode.

Enable No Read (1)

*Disable No Read(0)

USB Device Type (continued)

NOTES

1. Before scanning USB CDC Host on page 8-6, install the appropriate USB CDC Driver on the host to ensure the scanner does not stall during power up (due to a failure to enumerate USB). Go to www.zebra.com/support, Support & Downloads > Barcode Scanners > USB CDC Driver, select the appropriate Windows platform, and download either Zebra_CDC_ACM_Driver_(x64)v2.15.0004.exe (64 bit) or Zebra_CDC_ACM_Driver(x86)_v2.15.0004.exe (32 bit).

To recover a stalled scanner: Install the USB CDC Driver or

Unplug the USB cable and then reconnect it to add power back to the scanner. Scan HID Keyboard or another host.

After power-up, hold the trigger for 10 seconds, which allows the digital scanner to power up using an alternate USB configuration. Upon power-up, scan another USB Device Type.

2. To select the Toshiba TEC device type, refer to the Toshiba TEC Programmer’s Guide.

3. Select USB HID POS to communicate over a USB cable with Universal Windows Platform (UWP) applications running on Windows 10 devices.

USB CDC Host

SSI over USB CDC

Symbol Native API (SNAPI) with Imaging Interface

Symbol Native API (SNAPI) without Imaging Interface

USB HID POS (for Windows 10 devices only)

6. Save custom settings (optional)

If you have changed scanner settings and want to reuse them:

Scan the Write to Custom Defaults barcode.

This allows the scanner to restore these settings later using Restore Defaults.

EXPECTED RESULT

After completing these steps:

The scanner is paired with its cradle.
Barcode scans are transmitted correctly.
The configured scanner settings are active.
The scanner is ready for use with Factbird barcode workflows.

TROUBLESHOOTING

Issue: The scanner will not pair with the cradle.

Try: Place the scanner in the cradle for several seconds.
Try: Scan the cradle pairing barcode.
Try: Restore the scanner to factory defaults and pair again.

Issue: Scanned barcodes do not appear correctly.

Try: Verify the USB connection.
Try: Confirm the scanner is configured as a USB keyboard (HID).
Try: Enable the Enter Key suffix if required by the application.

Issue: The scanner beeps but no data appears.

Try: Verify the workstation recognizes the scanner.
Try: Test scanning into a text editor.
Try: Check that the correct USB device type has been configured.

STILL NEED HELP?

Contact Support and include:

The scanner model.
The cradle model.
The operating system of the connected device.
A description of the issue.
Any configuration changes made to the scanner.