How to identify a pill by its imprint

By the Pillcounted team · Updated September 27, 2026

A pill in the bottom of a bag, one on the floor, or a refill that suddenly looks different. The good news is that almost every tablet and capsule sold in the US, prescription or over the counter, carries an imprint code. The FDA requires it, so a pill can be identified from the imprint, the shape and the color.

What to look at

• The imprint. Letters, numbers or a logo pressed into or printed on the pill, often the manufacturer’s initials plus a product number. Check both sides, and write it down exactly as it appears.
• The color. Some pills are two colors, especially capsules.
• The shape. Round, oval, capsule-shaped, triangle and so on.
• A score line. The groove some tablets have so they can be split.

Imprints are small and easy to misread. Use bright light, and try your phone camera’s zoom or a magnifier. A 6 and a 9, or an 8 and a B, look alike on a tiny tablet.

Where to look it up

• A pill identifier tool. Sites like Drugs.com let you search by imprint, color and shape.
• The drug’s label on DailyMed. The “How Supplied” section of an FDA label describes exactly what each strength looks like, so you can confirm a match.
• Your pharmacist. Identifying pills is part of the job. Call them or bring the pill in.

A match needs all three: imprint, color and shape. If only two line up, keep looking or ask your pharmacist.

When a refill looks different

This is common, and usually fine. Pharmacies switch between generic manufacturers depending on price and supply, and each manufacturer makes a different-looking pill of the same drug. Many pharmacy labels print a description of the pill, like “white, oval, imprinted with…”. If the pills in the bottle match that description, it’s most likely just a new manufacturer.

If they don’t match, or you aren’t sure, call the pharmacy before you take it. Mix-ups are rare, but checking is exactly the right thing to do, and pharmacists would much rather get that call.

When not to take it

• The pill has no imprint. It could be a supplement, a medicine from another country, or a counterfeit. Counterfeit pills made to look like real prescription drugs have been found to contain fentanyl.
• You can’t find a match, or the pill is chipped or worn and you can’t read it.
• It matches a prescription medicine that wasn’t prescribed for you.

Keep unknown pills away from children and pets. You can drop them at a pharmacy take-back kiosk or a local drug take-back event. If someone has swallowed a pill you can’t identify, call Poison Control at 1-800-222-1222, or 911 if they have trouble breathing, won’t wake up or have a seizure.