Types of Xanax Bars and Pills

By Edmund Murphy

Last updated: 13 April 2024 & medically reviewed by Dr. Kimberly Langdon

What is Xanax used for?

Xanax, the brand name for alprazolam that is produced by multiple pharmaceutical companies, is a form of benzodiazepine that is commonly prescribed in the United States.

Xanax is used to treat a variety of physical health conditions owing to its sedative properties but is most commonly used to treat mental health conditions. These conditions tend to be those that have nervousness, stress, and restlessness as symptoms; notably anxiety disorders and post-traumatic stress disorder.

The side effects of excessive benzodiazepines like Xanax make them popular drugs of abuse. This has led to nationwide illegal dealing of Xanax as well as the production of potentially harmful counterfeit versions of the drug.

What are Xanax bars?

A Xanax bar refers to the shape of some Xanax pills, which resemble a rectangular bar that can be broken into four sections. 

Xanax bars come in different strengths which are often denoted by the color of the pill. Low-strength bars are often prescribed for those with mild anxiety and high strength for those with severe anxiety disorder. 

Over 30 million people are prescribed Benzodiazepines in the United States each year, with alprazolam (Xanax) accounting for 16.7 million of these.^[1][2] Xanax is also one of the most widely abused benzos, with over 5 million people reporting misuse in 2019.^[2] With the rising rate of Xanax abuse and addiction, knowing what strength Xanax is being taken is increasingly important to avoid a fatal overdose.

What are Xanax pills?

Like Xanax bars, the pills also come in a wide range of shapes, strengths, and colors that are produced by different pharmaceutical companies. The strengths of the pills often start at .5mg and go up to 3mg alprazolam.

These pills are often abused at 2-3mg doses, though the DEA and other law agencies have found multiple doses, both real and counterfeit, being sold on the streets. As with most forms of benzodiazepine, both Xanax pills and bars are classed as Schedule IV substances. 

Different types of Xanax bars and pill

While Recovered doesn’t condone drug abuse in any form, we understand that people who abuse substances such as Xanax may not know what they are taking and therefore put themselves in danger. There is also the risk of buying counterfeit Xanax that contains harmful substances and high doses of alprazolam.

The list below is intended to help avoid overdose or any other harm befalling users.

White Xanax

White Xanax is mostly manufactured by Pfizer and comes in both pill and bar form.

White Xanax pill: White Xanax pills are oval-shaped and have ‘XANAX 0.25’ printed on the side which denotes their strength.

White Xanax bar: These bars contain 2mg of alprazolam and are segmented to be split into 4 .5mg doses.

2mg Xanax is considered a strong dose when taken in one go.

Yellow Xanax

Yellow Xanax pills: Yellow Xanax pills are typically 1mg of alprazolam and have ‘039’ printed on them. A light yellow version is available with ‘198’ on them and is a much stronger dose of 3mg.

Yellow Xanax bars: These bars contain 2mg of generic alprazolam and are manufactured by Actavis Pharma.

Yellow Xanax bars, nicknamed “school buses” are also designed to be broken into .5mg doses and are printed with ‘R039’ along the segmented side.

Green Xanax

Green Xanax pills: These pills are produced by a range of pharmaceutical companies and range from 2mg to 3mg alprazolam. The oval pills, often called “green footballs” have a lower dosage of 1mg. 

Green Xanax bars: (Dava Pharmaceuticals) also contain 2mg of alprazolam, though unlike white and yellow versions they are designed to be split into three doses.

Green Xanax bars have ‘S903’ printed on the side.

Red Xanax bars

Red Xanax bars are fake and are not manufactured by any pharmaceutical company.

These bars contain 5mg plus of alprazolam which is an extremely high dose and likely to cause an overdose if taken in excess. These bars are made illegally meaning they may also contain other harmful substances such as fentanyl.

Red Xanax Bars have been nicknamed “red devil Xanax” or simply “devils” owing to their distinctive color and the code ‘R666’ often being printed on them.

Pink Xanax pills

Pink Xanax pills come in many forms but the most typical are extended-release versions of the pills (XR) that are 3 mg strength alprazolam. These pills have an ‘M’ on one side and ‘A24’ on the other.

Blue Xanax

Blue Xanax pill: There are many forms of blue Xanax pills ranging from light eggshell blue to deeper tones, in both round and oval shapes. These pills are almost always 1mg alprazolam and will have a split on one side so they can be broken into .5mg doses.

Blue Xanax bars: These bars are typically 2 mg alprazolam that can be broken into 4 x .5mg doses. Blue Xanax bars have ‘B707’ printed on one side and are one of the most widely produced counterfeit versions of Xanax. Buying blue Xanax bars on the street may result in ingesting substances other than alprazolam such as fentanyl.

Purple Xanax pill

Purple Xanax pills (M A23) are extended-release versions of the drug that are 2mg strength. These pills are designed to release alprazolam slowly into the system so that .25/.5mg amounts are delivered over the course of a day.

 Purple Xanax is not recommended for use in pregnant women as they carry positive evidence of risk.

Orange/Peach Xanax

Peach or orange Xanax pills are mainly .5mg of alprazolam and are intended for those suffering from anxiety or mild to moderate pain. While the risk of developing an addiction to small dosage Xanax is lower, prolonged misuse can still lead to dependence.

Other types of alprazolam

While Xanax is the most popular form of benzodiazepine, alprazolam comes in other forms. Some of these include different versions from other pharmaceutical companies, off-brand versions, and non-pill formats.

Liquid alprazolam

The liquid form of alprazolam is rarely prescribed and is used to treat general anxiety disorder, depression, and mild pain symptoms. Each milliliter of liquid alprazolam contains the equivalent of 2mg alprazolam.

Liquid alprazolam is intended to be mixed with food or drink directly before ingesting or can be taken on its own. As the liquid is not premeasured, people can accidentally take too much by not measuring doses properly. This can lead to a dependence on the substance forming and other adverse side effects.

Alprazolam generic

Alprazolam generic is identical to Xanax and is just the non-branded version of the benzodiazepine. It can be obtained under prescription in much the same way as Xanax and typically has strengths ranging from 0.25 - 2mg.

Non-FDA approved alprazolam (Mexican Xanax)

Some Xanax is imported illegally from outside the US, most commonly through Mexico. While this Xanax is often the same as the FDA-approved American version, some off-brand/unregulated alprazolam counterparts may cause adverse side effects due to being less stringently regulated. This includes Farmapram, which the FDA has noted may be produced with unregulated chemicals.

These occurrences are rare, however, with most licensed pharmacies in Central and South America only offering Xanax via prescription and rarely to tourists.

Fake Xanax

Fake Xanax bars and pills have been regularly sold on streets throughout the United States for many years, posing a huge risk to users. The most substantial risk of fake Xanax is to the health of users as pills are rarely measured accurately meaning potentially harmful amounts of alprazolam and other benzos find their way into counterfeit Xanax.

More dangerous than this is the other substances drug dealers put into fake Xanax, such as the deadly opioid fentanyl. Read our guide to find out all you need to know about fake Xanax and how to spot them.

Treatment for Xanax addiction

Xanax pills are incredibly addictive drugs and overcoming an addiction can be difficult. With a safe and controlled medical detox and subsequent treatment program, conquering a Xanax addiction is possible and can pave the way to long-term sobriety. If you or someone you know is suffering from a Xanax addiction, contact a treatment provider today to see what help is available.