How to Find Out What a Pill Is Without the Prescription Bottle

Every pill has an imprint that can be entered into a free online pill identifier database to tell you what it is, even if you no longer have the prescription bottle.

Instructions

• 1

  Go to your favorite search engine to find a website to help you identify your pill.

• 2

  Enter the words "Pill Identifier" in the search bar.

• 3

  Choose one of the websites that are shown. There are several popular pill imprint identifiers, including one by WebMD, Drugs.com and RxList.com.

• 4

  Locate the box on the website that is labeled "Imprint" or that includes the word "Imprint." You will see other boxes that can be used to identify your pill by size or color, but entering the imprint is the most reliable way of identifying the contents of your pill.

• 5

  Enter the letters or numbers on your pill into the "Imprint" box. Please note that you may need to insert spaces. Each website has a guide to help you enter the letters or numbers properly.

• 6

  Hit the "Submit" key on the web page or the "Enter" key on your computer. One or more images will appear to show you a pill or pills that match the letters and numbers you entered.

• 7

  Match your pill to one of these images, and you will be able to identify the contents of your pill.

• 8

  Visit your local pharmacist if the pill identifier does not bring up an image that matches your pill. On occasion, the letters or numbers may not be clear or may be hard to read, especially if the pill has been out of the prescription bottle for a long time. Your pharmacist is familiar with prescription medications and can assist you if you are not able to identify the pill using the online pill imprint identifier database. Do not take any medication if you are not sure what it is.