How to do a coronavirus (COVID-19) rapid lateral flow test at home or at a test site
Find out how to do a rapid lateral flow test for COVID-19 and report the results. Rapid tests are only for people who do not have symptoms of COVID-19.
How you do the test depends on the test kit you’re using.
The throat and nose test kit has a blue and white pack.
Nose-only test kits have a:
- blue and white pack (ACON Flowflex)
- green and white pack (Orient Gene)
- purple and white (SureScreen)
Check which pack you have as it may be different to one you’ve had before.
If you need a test kit, order rapid lateral flow tests.
There’s separate information on how to do a PCR home test. This is the type of test you usually do if you have COVID-19 symptoms and is sent to a lab to be checked.
Videos: how to do a rapid test
There are separate videos for the throat and nose test, and nose-only tests.
Blue and white pack (ACON Flowflex): nose-only test
Watch a video demonstration of how to do a nose-only test (blue and white pack - ACON Flowflex).
Green and white pack (Orient Gene): nose-only test
This video is for Orient Gene packs of 7 test kits or 20 test kits.
Watch a video demonstration of how to do a nose-only test (green and white pack - Orient Gene).
Purple and white pack (SureScreen): nose-only test
This video is for SureScreen packs of 7 test kits or 20 test kits.
Watch a video demonstration of how to do a nose-only test (green and white pack - SureScreen).
Blue and white pack: throat and nose test
Watch a video demonstration of how to do a throat and nose test (blue and white pack).
What to do when you get your results
Report all results (positive, negative or void):
- every time you use a rapid test kit
- within 24 hours of getting the result
Reporting your results helps scientists track the spread of COVID-19 and spot new outbreaks faster, which helps protect communities.
If you cannot use the online service, call 119 (free from mobiles and landlines).
Lines are open every day, 7am to 11pm. 119 provides support in 200 languages.
SignVideo is a free online British Sign Language interpreter service for 119.
Find out what your result means and what you need to do on NHS.UK.
Give feedback about your test kit or report harm
If any part of your test kit is damaged or missing, do not use that test kit. You can still use the other tests in the pack.
If you’ve been harmed or had a reaction using the test kit, report it as soon as possible.
Find out how to give feedback about your test kit or report harm.
Guides in different formats and languages
There are separate guides for the throat and nose test, and nose-only tests.
English
Find step-by-step guides, including easy read and large print versions:
- Nose-only test (ACON Flowflex): COVID-19 rapid test kit instructions
- Nose-only test (Orient Gene): COVID-19 rapid test kit instructions
- Nose-only test (SureScreen): COVID-19 rapid test kit instructions
- Throat and nose test: COVID-19 rapid test kit instructions
- Throat and nose test (Innova 25) for care home staff: COVID-19 rapid test kit instructions
Polski (Polish)
Znajdź przewodniki krok po kroku, jak wykonać szybki test:
- Test wykorzystujący tylko wymaz z nosa (ACON Flowflex): Instrukcja użytkowania szybkiego testu na COVID-19
- Test wykorzystujący tylko wymaz z nosa (Orient Gene): Instrukcja użytkowania szybkiego testu na COVID-19
- Test tylko do nosa (SureScreen): instrukcje dotyczące zestawu do szybkiego testu antygenu Covid-19
- Test wykorzystujący wymaz z gardła i nosa: Instrukcja użytkowania szybkiego testu na COVID-19
中文(简体 (Chinese - Simplified)
查找进行快速测试的分步指南：
- 鼻部检测 (ACON Flowflex): COVID-19 快速检测试剂盒说明书
- 仅鼻部检测（东方基因): COVID-19 快速检测试剂盒说明书
- 仅鼻部检测 (SureScreen): COVID-19 快速检测试剂盒说明书
- 喉咙和鼻部检测: COVID-19 快速检测试剂盒说明
ਪੰਜਾਬੀ (Punjabi - Gurmukhi)
ਰੈਪਿਡ ਟੈਸਟ ਕਰਨ ਲਈ ਕਦਮ-ਦਰ-ਕਦਮ ਗਾਈਡਾਂ ਲੱਭੋ:
- ਕੇਵਲ ਨੱਕ ਦਾ ਟੈਸਟ (ACON ਫਲੋਫਲੈਕਸ) :COVID-19 ਰੈਪਿਡ ਟੈਸਟ ਕਿੱਟ ਹਦਾਇਤਾਂ
- ਕੇਵਲ ਨੱਕ ਦਾ ਟੈਸਟ (ਉਰੀਐਂਟ ਜੀਨ): COVID-19 ਰੈਪਿਡ ਟੈਸਟ ਕਿੱਟ ਹਦਾਇਤਾਂ
- ਕੇਵਲ ਨੱਕ ਦਾ ਟੈਸਟ (SureScreen): COVID-19 ਰੈਪਿਡ ਟੈਸਟ ਕਿੱਟ ਹਦਾਇਤਾਂ
- ਗਲੇ ਅਤੇ ਨੱਕ ਦਾ ਟੈਸਟ: COVID-19 ਰੈਪਿਡ ਟੈਸਟ ਕਿੱਟ ਹਦਾਇਤਾਂ
پن٘جابی (Punjabi - Shahmukhi)
:اک ریپڈ ٹیسٹ کرن لئی اپنا مرحلہ وار گائیڈ لبھو
- ریپیڈ ٹیسٹ کٹ دیاں ہدایتاں COVID-19 :(فلو فلیکس ACON) صرف نک توں ٹیسٹ
- ریپیڈ ٹیسٹ کٹ دیاں ہدایتاں COVID-19 :(صرف نک توں ٹیسٹ (اورینٹ جین
- ریپیڈ ٹیسٹ کٹ دیاں ہدایتاں COVID-19 :(SureScreen) صرف نک توں ٹیسٹ
- ریپیڈ ٹیسٹ کٹ دیاں ہدایتاں COVID-19 :گلے اور نک دا ٹیسٹ
Româna (Romanian)
Găsiți ghiduri pas cu pas pentru testele rapide la:
- Testarea exclusivă a exudatului nazal (ACON Flowflex): instrucțiuni pentru setul de testare rapidă COVID-19
- Testarea exclusivă a exudatului nazal (Orient Gene): instrucțiuni pentru setul de testare rapidă COVID-19
- Testarea exclusivă a exudatului nazal (SureScreen): instrucțiuni pentru setul de testare rapidă COVID-19
- Testarea exudatului faringian și nazal: instrucțiuni pentru setul de testare rapidă COVID-19
العربية (Arabic)
:بحث عن أدلة تفصيلية حول إجراء اختبار سريع
- إرشادات مجموعة الاختبار السريع لكوفيد-19 :(ACON Flowflex) اختبار الأنف فقط
- إرشادات مجموعة الاختبار السريع لكوفيد-19 :(Orient Gene) اختبار الأنف فقط
- إرشادات مجموعة الاختبار السريع لكوفيد-19 :(SureScreen) اختبار الأنف فقط
- اختبار الحلق والأنف: إرشادات مجموعة الاختبار السريع لكوفيد-19
ગુજરાતી (Gujarati)
ઝડપી પરીક્ષણ કરવા માટે પગલું-દર-પગલા માર્ગદર્શિકાઓ શોધો:
- ફ્કત નાક દ્વારા ટેસ્ટ (ACON ફ્લોફ્લેક્સ): COVID-19ની રેપિડ ટેસ્ટ કિટની માર્ગદર્શિકા
- ફ્કત નાક દ્વારા ટેસ્ટ (ઓરિએન્ટ જીન): COVID-19ની રેપિડ ટેસ્ટ કિટની માર્ગદર્શિકા
- ફ્કત નાક દ્વારા ટેસ્ટ (SureScreen): COVID-19ની રૅપિડ ટેસ્ટ કિટની માર્ગદર્શિકા
- ગળું અને નાક દ્વારા ટેસ્ટ: COVID-19ની રેપિડ ટેસ્ટ કિટની માર્ગદર્શિકા
فارسی (Persian)
:افتن راهنماهای گام به گام برای انجام تست فوری
- COVID-19 دستورالعمل کیت تست فوری :(ACON Flowflex) تست فقط بینی
- COVID-19 تست فقط بینی (آنتی ژن): دستورالعمل کیت تست فوری
- COVID-19 دستورالعمل کیت تست فوری :(SureScreen) تست فقط بینی
- COVID-19 تست گلو و بینی: دستورالعمل کیت تست فوری
اردو (Urdu)
:ریپڈ ٹیسٹ کرنے کے لیے قدم بہ قدم رہنما تلاش کریں
- ریپیڈ ٹیسٹ کٹ کی ہدایات COVID-19 :(فلو فلیکس ACON) صرف ناک سے ٹیسٹ
- ریپیڈ ٹیسٹ کٹ کی ہدایات COVID-19 :(صرف ناک سے ٹیسٹ (اورینٹ جین
- ریپیڈ ٹیسٹ کٹ کی ہدایات COVID-19 :(SureScreen) صرف ناک سے ٹیسٹ
- ریپیڈ ٹیسٹ کٹ کی ہدایات COVID-19 :گلے اور ناک کا ٹیسٹ
Slovenčina (Slovak)
Nájdete podrobných sprievodcov rýchlym testom:
- Test iba z nosu (ACON Flowflex): pokyny pre súpravu rýchleho testu COVID-19
- Test iba z nosu (Orient Gene): pokyny pre súpravu rýchleho testu COVID-19
- Nazálny test (SureScreen): pokyny na používanie súpravy s rýchlotestom na COVID-19
- Test z hrdla a nosa: pokyny pre súpravu rýchleho testu COVID-19
Türkçe (Turkish)
Hızlı (rapid) test yapmak için adım adım rehberleri burada bulabilirsiniz:
- Sadece burun testi (ACON Flowflex): COVID-19 hızlı test kiti talimatları
- Sadece burun testi (Orient Gene): COVID-19 hızlı test kiti talimatları
- Burundan sürüntü testi (SureScreen): COVID-19 hızlı test kiti talimatları
- Boğaz ve burun testi: COVID-19 hızlı test kiti talimatları
Cymraeg (Welsh)
Dod o hyd i ganllawiau fesul cam i gynnal prawf cyflym:
- Prawf trwyn-yn-unig (Orient Gene): cyfarwyddiadau pecyn prawf cyflym COVID-19
- Prawf trwyn-yn-unig (ACON FlowFlex): cyfarwyddiadau pecyn prawf cyflym COVID-19
- Prawf trwyn-yn-unig (SureScreen): cyfarwyddiadau pecyn prawf cyflym COVID-19
- Prawf gwddf a thrwyn: COVID-19 cyfarwyddiadau pecyn prawf cyflym COVID-19
Soomaali (Somali)
Raadi hagayaasha tallaabo-tallaabo ah si aad u sameyso baaritaan degdeg ah:
- Baaritaanka sanka oo keliya ah (ACON Flowflex): COVID-19 tilmaamaha xirmooyinka baaritaanka degdegga ah
- Baaritaanka sanka oo keliya ah (Orient Gene): COVID-19 tilmaamaha xirmooyinka baaritaanka degdegga ah
- Baaritaanka sanka-keliya (SureScreen): COVID-19 tilmaaamha xirmada baaritaanka degdegga ah
- Baaritaanka cunaha iyo sanka: COVID-19 tilmaamaha xirmooyinka baaritaanka degdegga ah
বাংলা (Bengali)
দ্রুত পরীক্ষা করার জন্য ধাপে ধাপে নির্দেশিকাগুলি পাবেন এখানে:
- শুধুমাত্র নাক-পরীক্ষা (এসিওএন ফ্লোফ্লেক্স): কোভিড-১৯ দ্রুত পরীক্ষা যন্ত্র বিষয়ক নির্দেশনাবলী
- শুধুমাত্র নাক-পরীক্ষা (ওরিয়েন্ট জিন): কোভিড-১৯ দ্রুত পরীক্ষা যন্ত্র বিষয়ক নির্দেশনাবলী
গলাশুধুমাত্রওনাক-পরীক্ষানাক(SureScreen):পরীক্ষা:কোভিড-19কোভিড-১৯যন্ত্রকিটেরবিষয়কজন্যনির্দেশনাবলীনির্দেশাবলী।
پن٘جابی (Punjabi - Shahmukhi)
:اک ریپڈ ٹیسٹ کرن لئی اپنا مرحلہ وار گائیڈ لبھو
ریپیڈগলাٹیسٹওکٹনাকدیاںہدایتاںপরীক্ষা:COVID-19কোভিড-১৯:(فلوদ্রুতفلیکسপরীক্ষাACON)যন্ত্রصرفবিষয়কنکتوںٹیسٹনির্দেশনাবলীریپیڈٹیسٹکٹدیاںہدایتاںCOVID-19:(صرفنکتوںٹیسٹ(اورینٹجینریپیڈٹیسٹکٹدیاںہدایتاںCOVID-19:گلےاورنکداٹیسٹ
हिंदी (Hindi)
त्वरित परीक्षण करने के लिए चरण-दर-चरण गाइड प्राप्त करें:
- केवल नाक का टेस्ट (ACON फलोफ़्लेक्स): COVID-19 रेपिड टेस्ट किट निर्देश
- केवल नाक का टेस्ट (ओरिएंट जीन): COVID-19 रेपिड टेस्ट किट निर्देश
- केवल नाक का टेस्ट (SureScreen): COVID-19 रैपिड टेस्ट किट निर्देश
- गले और नाक का टेस्ट: COVID-19 रेपिड टेस्ट किट निर्देश
دری (Dari)
:راهنمای قدم به قدم برای انجام تست سریع را ببینید
- COVID-19 طرزالعمل های کیت تست سریع:(ACON Flowflex) فقط تست بینی
- COVID-19 طرزالعمل های کیت تست سریع:(Orient Gene) فقط تست بینی
- COVID-19 طرزالعمل های کیت تست سریع:(SureScreen) فقط تست بینی
- COVID-19 تست گلو و بینی: طرزالعمل های کیت تست سریع
پښتو (Pashto)
:د ګړندۍ ازموینې لپاره ګام په ګام لارښوونې وګورئ
Last updated
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Added guidance on how to do a SureScreen rapid nose-only test and information on how to give test kit feedback or report harm.
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Updated wording to clarify that this guidance is for how to do a rapid test at home or at a test site.
-
Removed information about MP Biomedicals rapid nose-only test.
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Added information about how to do an ACON Flowflex rapid nose-only test. Updated information about the different types of rapid tests, checking which test you have and reporting your result.
Update history
2024-04-30 14:00
Updated to remove information about ACON flowflex, Orient Gene and SureScreen tests, as all test kits issued will have expired by now. We have also removed their concomitant test instruction translations.
2024-03-28 09:30
Removed the reference to the 119 service.
2024-03-14 10:47
Added video on how to do a nose-only test: Getein Biotech.
2024-01-24 08:30
Updated 119 contact hours.
2023-12-19 16:16
Added information on Getein Biotech rapid nose-only tests.
2022-10-03 11:21
Updated Innova and Surescreen videos to include British Sign Language (BSL).
2022-05-30 00:15
Updated 119 phone line opening hours.
2022-04-29 12:03
Added information about checking expiry dates on rapid lateral flow tests.
2022-04-11 15:53
Added links to Ukrainian versions of ‘Throat and nose test: COVID-19 rapid test kit instructions’ and ‘Nose-only test (SureScreen): COVID-19 rapid test kit instructions’.
2022-04-01 11:25
Updated information to reflect changes in testing for coronavirus (COVID-19) in England.
2022-02-24 09:30
Updated ‘Blue and white pack: throat and nose test’ video to reflect changes to self-isolation guidance.
2022-02-10 09:00
Updated wording to reflect that rapid lateral flow tests are usually for people without symptoms of COVID-19.
2022-01-27 09:56
2022-01-19 17:15
2022-01-05 17:35
Updated video links to reflect changes to confirmatory PCR rules.
2021-12-24 09:30
Added guidance on how to do a SureScreen rapid nose-only test and information on how to give test kit feedback or report harm.
2021-12-06 16:24
Updated wording to clarify that this guidance is for how to do a rapid test at home or at a test site.
2021-11-17 13:21
Removed information about MP Biomedicals rapid nose-only test.
2021-11-09 17:10
Added links to translated guides.
2021-10-28 11:12
Added Throat and nose test (Innova 25) for care home staff: COVID-19 rapid test kit instructions.
2021-10-22 16:02
Added information about ordering a rapid lateral flow test and how to do an MP Biomedicals rapid nose-only test. Added Dari and Pashto translated guides.
2021-01-29 13:49
Added link to the self-test instructions for use and translated versions of it.