Count Boxes From a Photo

Upload a photo of the pallet and tap the cartons to get the total number of cartons and items.

Last updated: · Prepared by: Aydın Uzunboy

Result

Total cartons
20
Cartons on the visible face (columns × layers)
20

Regular stack

For rows hidden behind the ones in the photo
An incomplete top layer or gaps
Optional: also shows the total number of items
If you have placed no marks, the count uses the columns and layers here.

Counting the cartons on a pallet in a warehouse or before a shipment is easy to get wrong, especially with a tall stack and many rows. This tool lets you count on a photo instead: take the picture, tap each carton, and it numbers what you have counted and keeps the total.

A photo only shows the front face; the rows behind it are hidden. So the cartons on the visible face are multiplied by the number of rows going back. If the top layer is incomplete you subtract the missing cartons, and if you enter the items per carton you also get the total number of items.

How to calculate Counting cartons from a photo

  1. Take a photo of the pallet or stack, or choose one from your gallery.
  2. Tap every carton you can see; use “Undo” if you tap in the wrong place. For a regular stack you can enter the columns and layers instead of tapping.
  3. Enter how many rows go back and, if there are any, the number of missing cartons.
  4. Enter the items per carton to see the total number of items as well.

How to take a good photo for counting

Photograph the pallet from a corner rather than straight on: you then see the front and one side, and can count the rows going back from the photo. Hold the camera at mid-height so the top and bottom layers are equally sharp.

Turn off the flash if the stretch film glares. If the carton edges are hard to make out, step back and get the whole pallet in the frame. A second photo from above helps with counting gaps in the top layer.

Counting mixed or irregular stacks

Columns × layers does not work for a stack of different carton sizes or an irregular pile. Tap each visible carton instead and leave the rows going back at 1; then count the other faces of the stack from separate photos and add them up.

Counting cartons from a photo formula

  • Visible face = cartons marked (or columns × layers)
  • Total cartons = visible face × rows going back − missing cartons
  • Total items = total cartons × items per carton

Counting cartons from a photo example

A pallet showing 4 cartons across and 5 high on its front face, stacked 3 rows deep, holds 4 × 5 × 3 = 60 cartons. With 2 missing from the top layer that is 58 cartons; at 12 items per carton, 696 items.

Counting cartons from a photo: common questions

Is my photo sent anywhere?

Not when you count by tapping or by entering columns and layers: the photo is opened in your browser only and never leaves your device. If a “Count with AI” button is shown and you press it, the photo is sent to an AI service for counting; this is stated under the button.

How are the cartons at the back counted?

Cartons that are not in the photo cannot be counted, which is what the “rows going back” box is for. Look at the side of the pallet, count the rows, and enter that number; the tool multiplies the visible face by it.

How reliable is the count?

A count made by tapping is as accurate as your own counting; the tool only makes the counting and multiplying easier. The AI estimate is a first guess: usually close for regular stacks, less so for mixed piles and film-wrapped pallets. Check the result against the pallet before shipping or booking stock.

Can I count things other than cartons?

Yes. It works the same way for sacks, drums, crates, rolls or single items; every point you tap counts as one.

Can I use the number in a loading calculation?

Yes. Once you know the cartons per pallet, enter it as “cartons per pallet” in the container pallet loading calculator to get the total cartons in the vehicle.