diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index c219dab..9140a21 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -29,6 +29,7 @@ Arguments:
         camera: "front" || "back" // defaults to "back"
         flash: "on" || "off" || "auto" // defaults to "auto". See Quirks
         drawSight: true || false //defaults to true, create a red sight/line in the center of the scanner view.
+        formats: ["QRCODE","CODE128"] //limit scan to formats listed, leave blank if no restriction is desired. 
     }
     ```
 
diff --git a/android/ZBarScannerActivity.java b/android/ZBarScannerActivity.java
index 9f23fa2..c1af75d 100644
--- a/android/ZBarScannerActivity.java
+++ b/android/ZBarScannerActivity.java
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@
 import java.lang.RuntimeException;
 import org.json.JSONException;
 import org.json.JSONObject;
+import org.json.JSONArray; 
 
 import android.Manifest;
 import android.app.Activity;
@@ -141,15 +142,46 @@ private void setUpCamera() {
             whichCamera = params.optString("camera");
             flashMode = params.optString("flash");
 
+            //new parameter formats - list of formats to scan 
+            JSONArray formats = params.optJSONArray("formats"); 
+
+
             // Initiate instance variables
             autoFocusHandler = new Handler();
             scanner = new ImageScanner();
             scanner.setConfig(0, Config.X_DENSITY, 3);
             scanner.setConfig(0, Config.Y_DENSITY, 3);
 
+
             // Set the config for barcode formats
-            for(ZBarcodeFormat format : getFormats()) {
-                scanner.setConfig(format.getId(), Config.ENABLE, 1);
+            if (formats.length() > 0){
+
+                //disable all 
+                for(ZBarcodeFormat format : getFormats()) {
+                    scanner.setConfig(format.getId(), Config.ENABLE, 0);
+                }
+
+                //enable only those that are listed 
+                int len = formats.length();
+                for (int i=0;i<len;i++){
+                    String name;
+                    try { 
+                        name = formats.get(i).toString();
+                    }catch(JSONException e){
+                        throw new RuntimeException(e);
+                    }
+
+                    if (name != null){
+                        ZBarcodeFormat format = ZBarcodeFormat.getFormatByName(name); 
+                        scanner.setConfig(format.getId(), Config.ENABLE, 1);   
+                    }
+                }
+
+            } else {
+                // no format specified, read all 
+                for(ZBarcodeFormat format : getFormats()) {
+                    scanner.setConfig(format.getId(), Config.ENABLE, 1);
+                }
             }
 
             // Set content view
@@ -334,7 +366,7 @@ public void onConfigurationChanged(Configuration newConfig)
     }
 
     public void toggleFlash(View view) {
-		camera.startPreview();
+        camera.startPreview();
         android.hardware.Camera.Parameters camParams = camera.getParameters();
         //If the flash is set to off
         try {
@@ -346,7 +378,7 @@ public void toggleFlash(View view) {
 
         }
 
-		try {
+        try {
            // camera.setParameters(camParams);
             camera.setPreviewDisplay(holder);
             camera.setPreviewCallback(previewCb);
@@ -366,8 +398,8 @@ public void toggleFlash(View view) {
         } catch(RuntimeException e) {
             Log.d("csZBar", (new StringBuilder("Unsupported camera parameter reported for flash mode: ")).append(flashMode).toString());
         } catch (IOException e) {
-        	Log.d("csZBar", (new StringBuilder("Wrong holder data")).append(flashMode).toString());
-		}
+            Log.d("csZBar", (new StringBuilder("Wrong holder data")).append(flashMode).toString());
+        }
     }
     // Continuously auto-focus -----------------------------------------
     // For API Level < 14
@@ -532,7 +564,7 @@ private void tryStartPreview () {
                    camParams.setFocusMode(Camera.Parameters.FOCUS_MODE_CONTINUOUS_PICTURE);
                    camera.setParameters(camParams);
                 } catch (Exception e) {
-					// TODO: don't swallow
+                    // TODO: don't swallow
                 }
 
                 camera.setPreviewDisplay(holder);
diff --git a/android/ZBarcodeFormat.java b/android/ZBarcodeFormat.java
index 1871853..3437939 100644
--- a/android/ZBarcodeFormat.java
+++ b/android/ZBarcodeFormat.java
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@
 
 import java.util.List;
 import java.util.ArrayList;
+import java.util.Objects; 
 
 public class ZBarcodeFormat {
     private int mId;
@@ -69,4 +70,15 @@ public static ZBarcodeFormat getFormatById(int id) {
         }
         return ZBarcodeFormat.NONE;
     }
+
+    //new method to get the format by name
+    public static ZBarcodeFormat getFormatByName(String name){
+        for (ZBarcodeFormat format : ALL_FORMATS){
+            if(Objects.equals(format.getName(),name)) {
+                return format; 
+            }
+        }
+        return ZBarcodeFormat.NONE; 
+    }
+
 }
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/www/zbar.js b/www/zbar.js
index edadc91..9982fb9 100644
--- a/www/zbar.js
+++ b/www/zbar.js
@@ -14,6 +14,7 @@ ZBar.prototype = {
         if(params.text_instructions === undefined) params.text_instructions = "Please point your camera at the QR code.";
         if(params.camera != "front") params.camera = "back";
         if(params.flash != "on" && params.flash != "off") params.flash = "auto";
+        if(!params.formats) params.formats = []; 
 
         exec(success, failure, 'CsZBar', 'scan', [params]);
     },