Mark a part. See its pads on the other side.
Photograph both sides of a circuit board. Mark a component on the component side, and PCB See-Through shows exactly where its pads are on the solder side, the way you'd see them with the board turned over.
Turning the board over loses your place
On the solder side everything is mirrored, so finding the pads of one capacitor among hundreds means counting rows in a mirror image. Each part you check means turning the board over, finding your place and turning it back: slow, and easy to get wrong.
Anyone working at component level
Electronics repairers, hobbyists and anyone reverse-engineering a circuit: appliance control boards, power supplies, audio and test equipment. Find the faulty component and its pads quickly, and repair the board instead of replacing it.
Process
Everything runs in your web browser on a PC or laptop. Your photos stay on your computer.
Two photos of each side
Take a photo of the component side from above, then turn the board round 180° and take a second. Shadowing is removed. Do the same for the solder side. Upload them, and the app turns each second photo round and shows the pair for you to check.
Set the four corners
Drag a corner marker onto each corner of the board. A magnifier shows the corner close up, and dashed guide lines follow the board's edges, so you can place a corner accurately even when a wire hides it.
Glare and shadow removed
The app straightens each photo and combines the two photos of each side, keeping the better-lit version of every area. Then adjust brightness and contrast until the pads and tracks are clear.
Identify
Draw a box around the component of interest or identify its leg, and the same mark appears on the solder side. Use Fine adjust if a mark sits slightly off its pad.
A phone and a PC
- A phone or camera for the photos, using the normal 1× lens
- A Windows PC, Mac or laptop with an up-to-date Chrome or Edge browser
- An internet connection: the app opens from this website, so you always have the latest version
- To save and resume boards, a licence: sign in once with your email and licence key, and your browser remembers you
Free to use. £10 to save your work.
Try everything on your own boards first. Buy a licence if you want to keep boards and come back to them.
Licence
- Save boards and resume them at any time
- Use on up to 3 PCs or laptops
- No subscription
Payment is handled securely by Polar. Your licence key arrives by email straight away. 14-day refunds.
Common questions
Are my photos uploaded anywhere?
No. The app runs entirely in your browser, and your photos are processed on your own computer. Saved boards are files on your PC.
How accurate is it?
On a well-photographed board, marks land on the right pad. Accuracy depends mostly on placing the corners carefully and using the camera's normal lens. Any small error left over can be corrected with Fine adjust.
Does it work on surface-mount parts?
Yes for tracing, but remember that surface-mount parts sit on pads on the component side only. On the solder side the mark shows where the part sits above it, not a pad. Through-hole parts, connectors and vias are where it saves the most time.
Does it work on a phone or tablet?
It's designed for a PC or laptop, where there's room for both sides of the board and the controls. Use your phone to take the photos, then copy them to the computer.
I've changed my PC. Can I move my licence?
Yes. Email us and we'll free up the old activation.
Terms, privacy and refunds
Terms of sale
PCB See-Through is made by Roger Hutton, an individual based in Surrey, United Kingdom. Licences are sold through Polar (polar.sh), which acts as the merchant of record and handles payment, VAT and sales tax.
- A licence is a one-off purchase for the current version of the app, for use by the buyer on up to 3 computers.
- Licence keys may not be shared, published or resold. Keys used beyond their activation limit stop activating.
- The app is provided as an aid to repair. You remain responsible for safe working, including isolating and discharging any appliance before handling its board.
- Liability is limited to the price paid for the licence, except where the law does not allow this.
Privacy
- This website uses no tracking or advertising cookies.
- The app processes your photos on your own computer. They are never uploaded.
- The app sends your licence key and a random identifier for your computer to Polar to check the key, when you activate it and each time the app is opened. Your key is remembered in your browser.
- When you buy, Polar collects your name, email and payment details under its own privacy policy. We receive your name, email and order details so we can support your licence.
- We never sell or share your details. Email us to see or delete what we hold.
Refunds
If you're not satisfied, request a refund within 14 days of purchase by replying to your receipt email or emailing us. You'll receive a full refund to your original payment method and your licence key will be cancelled.
Contact
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