Adderall comes in two physical forms: tablets (immediate-release/IR) and capsules (extended-release/XR), with colour and shape varying by dose. Adderall IR tablets are round or oval, ranging from white (5 mg) to blue (7.5–10 mg) to peach or orange (12.5–30 mg), with the dose and manufacturer imprinted on each pill. Adderall XR capsules are blue (5–15 mg) or orange (20–30 mg), hard-shelled, with small beads visible through the transparent half, imprinted with “Adderall XR” and the dose. For Australians: Adderall is not available here — but its closest equivalents are dexamphetamine tablets (small, white, round, embossed “D5”) and Vyvanse capsules (hard capsules in colour-coded doses from pink/20 mg to blue-orange/70 mg).
Introduction
Knowing what Adderall looks like matters for several reasons: correctly identifying a tablet you’ve been prescribed, distinguishing genuine medication from a dangerous counterfeit, understanding what a family member or patient may be taking, or — for Australian travellers returning from the US — identifying the medication they’re carrying for declaration at the border.
This article provides a complete visual identification guide for both Adderall IR and Adderall XR, a full dose-by-dose colour and imprint reference, and — critically for an Australian context — a detailed description of what dexamphetamine and Vyvanse (Australia’s TGA-registered equivalents) actually look like. It also covers the escalating danger of counterfeit Adderall in both the US and Australia’s illicit market.
Adderall Immediate-Release (IR) Tablets: What They Look Like
Adderall IR comes in tablet form — solid, flat, pressed pills that are swallowed whole or broken in half. The appearance varies significantly by dose and manufacturer, but the standard Shire/Teva formulation follows a consistent colour-coding system:
Colour-Coding by Dose (Standard Formulation)
| Dose | Colour | Shape | Standard Imprint |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5 mg | White / off-white | Round | “AD” one side, “5” other side |
| 7.5 mg | Blue | Oval | “AD” one side, “7.5” other side |
| 10 mg | Blue | Round | “AD” one side, “10” other side |
| 12.5 mg | Peach / orange | Round | “AD” or “dp” one side, “12.5” other side |
| 15 mg | Peach / light orange | Oval | “AD” one side, “15” other side |
| 20 mg | Peach / orange | Round | “AD” one side, “20” other side |
| 30 mg | Peach / orange | Round | “AD” one side, “30” other side |
The colour-coding logic follows two groups:
- Blue dye (FD&C Blue #1): Used in 7.5 mg and 10 mg tablets
- Yellow #6 / Orange dye (FD&C Yellow #6): Used in 12.5 mg, 15 mg, 20 mg, and 30 mg tablets, producing the peach-to-orange appearance
- No dye (white): The 5 mg tablet contains no colour additives — it appears white to off-white
Generic Manufacturer Variations
Because multiple companies manufacture generic Adderall in the US, the same dose can look slightly different depending on manufacturer:
- Ohio Recovery Center: “What it looks like depends on who manufactures the drug”
- Common generic imprints for 30 mg tablets include: AD 30, dp 30, E401, U30, b 973, N 955, cor 135 (pink, round), 30 LCI (peach, round)
- Some generic dextroamphetamine sulfate tablets (NIH DailyMed, 2025 label) come in different colours entirely by dose: 2.5 mg white oval, 5 mg pink oval, 7.5 mg light green oval, 10 mg peach oval, 15 mg light blue oval, 20 mg purple oval, 30 mg light yellow oval
- Bedrock Recovery: “All immediate-release Adderall tablets, with the exception of the 5 mg pill, are indented on one side so that they can easily be broken in half“
Adderall XR Capsules: What They Look Like
Adderall XR is a hard capsule containing two types of small beads — immediate-release and delayed-release — that give the medication its extended duration:
- Bedrock Recovery: “Adderall XR pills are the extended-release version, designed to provide a slow and sustained release. This type of Adderall comes in capsule form, which is usually transparent on one side. Small pellets or beads can be seen through the side which is clear“
Colour-Coding by Dose (Adderall XR)
| Dose | Colour | Standard Imprint |
|---|---|---|
| 5 mg | Blue (both halves) | “Adderall XR” one end, “5 mg” other end |
| 10 mg | Blue (both halves) | “Adderall XR 10 mg” or “SHIRE 381 10 mg” |
| 15 mg | Blue and white | “Adderall XR 15 mg” |
| 20 mg | Orange (both halves) | “Adderall XR 20 mg” or “SHIRE 381 20 mg” |
| 25 mg | Orange and white | “Adderall XR 25 mg” |
| 30 mg | Orange (both halves) | “Adderall XR 30 mg” or “SHIRE 381 30 mg” |
- ARK Behavioral Health: “The most common forms of extended-release Adderall are blue capsules (5–15 mg) and orange capsules (20–30 mg)” — making colour alone a reliable preliminary guide to dose range
- Capsule markings appear on both halves — one end shows the brand or manufacturer, the other end shows the dose
What Australian ADHD Medication Equivalents Look Like
Because Adderall is not TGA-registered in Australia, Australian patients prescribed amphetamine-based ADHD treatment receive either dexamphetamine or Vyvanse. Here is what those medications look like in their Australian dispensed form:
Dexamphetamine Tablets — Australian Appearance
Dexamphetamine (dexamphetamine sulfate) is the closest pharmacological equivalent to Adderall available in Australia:
- HealthDirect Australia’s official medicine database describes Australian dexamphetamine (Sigma/Aspen brand) as: “A white round flat plain tablet with bevelled edges, one face plain, one embossed ‘D5’ about break bar”
- The Alcohol and Drug Foundation (ADF) confirms: Australian dexamphetamine tablets are small, white, and round, typically with “D” and “5” marked on the face — consistent with the 5 mg strength that is the primary available dose in Australia
- Unlike Adderall’s range of coloured tablets across multiple doses, Australian dexamphetamine is dispensed in 5 mg white tablets only through the standard PBS pathway — dose titration is managed by adjusting how many tablets are taken
- The tablets are scored (have a break bar) for easy halving if dose adjustment is needed
Vyvanse Capsules — Australian Appearance
Vyvanse is the most widely prescribed ADHD stimulant in Australia:
- HealthDirect Australia’s official Vyvanse database entry (50 mg): “Hard Capsule Size 3: white opaque body and blue opaque cap, printed ‘S489′ and ’50 mg’ in black ink”
- The TGA’s Australian Product Information (AusPAR) confirms Vyvanse capsules are hard gelatin capsules colour-coded by dose, carrying the imprint “S489” and the dose in milligrams
- Australian r/adhdaustralia users confirm (March 2026): “Right now I’m on 50 mg, and the capsules are blue and white, produced by Takeda Pharmaceuticals Pty Ltd. The 50 mg ones had one blue cap and one white cap. Whenever I’ve taken 50 mg, it’s always been in the blue and white capsules”
- Same community members confirmed the Australian colour pattern: “The 50 mg tablets are blue and white, the 60 mg ones are blue, and the 70 mg tablets are blue and pink“
Vyvanse Capsule Colour Guide (Australia/Global)
The US FDA prescribing label (which aligns with Australian product information from Takeda) specifies:
How to Identify Real vs. Fake Adderall
This is critically important safety information — in both the US and Australia’s illicit market:
The Counterfeit Adderall Problem
Fake Adderall is an escalating public health crisis in the US and increasingly appears in Australia’s illicit drug market:
- ARK Behavioral Health: “Fake Adderall usually looks just like real Adderall. That’s because drug dealers can use devices called pill presses to press any substance into the form of an Adderall pill. Pressed Adderall often contains highly dangerous drugs, including methamphetamine and fentanyl“
- US DEA Fake Prescription Pills Fact Sheet: “Many fake pills are made to look like prescription stimulants like amphetamines (Adderall) but contain fentanyl or methamphetamine. DEA lab testing reveals that 2 out of every 5 pills with fentanyl contain a potentially lethal dose”
- The Cato Institute analysis: “Drug dealers and cartels use pill presses to convert products into counterfeit Adderall (amphetamine mixed with dextroamphetamine)”
The Australian Context for Counterfeit Pills
The Australian Federal Police and Victorian health authorities have issued specific warnings about counterfeit pharmaceuticals in 2025:
- AFP (May 2025): “Nitazenes have been detected in counterfeit pain relief medication in NSW, Queensland, Victoria and the ACT. Between April 2024 and February 2025, state and territory police seized counterfeit pharmaceuticals which were almost identical in appearance to oxycodone pills“
- Victoria Department of Health (September 2025): Blue “M30” tablets — designed to look like pharmaceutical opioids — contain N-desethyl isotonitazene, an extremely potent synthetic opioid. “Any M30 tablet in Australia is likely to be fake”
- While the Australian warnings focus on opioid counterfeit pills, the same pill-pressing technology is used globally to produce fake stimulants including Adderall-lookalikes
- The NCCRED Drug Alert Q2 2025 report confirms pill-pressing operations producing dangerous counterfeit pharmaceuticals are active in Australia
Signs a Pill May Be Counterfeit
Bedrock Recovery Center: “The easiest way to spot fake Adderall pills is that they generally contain no markings on either side. The containers they come in may also contain misspelled labels or text“. Additional warning signs:
- No imprint or unusual imprint: Genuine Adderall always has a manufacturer imprint — absence of any marking is a major red flag
- Inconsistent colour: Unusually bright, dull, or inconsistent colouring compared to genuine product
- Wrong texture: Genuine tablets have a uniform, smooth surface — counterfeits may be chalky, crumbly, or have visible imperfections
- No score line: Standard Adderall IR tablets (except 5 mg) have a break score — absence is suspicious
- Unusual smell: Genuine Adderall tablets have a faint, neutral pharmaceutical smell — strong or chemical odour is concerning
- Unusual weight or size: Pill presses may produce slightly uneven sizing compared to pharmaceutical manufacturing precision
- Australian-specific warning: Because Adderall is not legally available in Australia, any pill claiming to be Adderall obtained within Australia from a non-pharmacist source is definitionally counterfeit or illegally imported — and should never be consumed
Side-by-Side Visual Comparison: Adderall vs. Australian Equivalents
What to Do If You Find an Unidentified Pill in Australia
If you find an unidentified tablet or capsule that you believe may be Adderall or a stimulant in Australia:
- Do not consume it — given the AFP and Victorian health warnings about counterfeit pills containing nitazenes, fentanyl, and other dangerous substances, any unidentified stimulant-looking pill in Australia poses a serious risk
- Use a pill identifier tool — the NPS MedicineWise (Australia) or the US DailyMed NIH database can help identify markings if the pill has an imprint
- Contact the Poisons Information Centre: Call 13 11 26 (Australia-wide, 24/7) if there is any concern about an ingested substance
- Contact a pharmacist: Australian pharmacists can help identify medications by appearance and imprint
- If you believe the pill is illegally obtained Adderall: Possession of an imported controlled drug without authorisation is a criminal offence in Australia — do not use it
FAQ — What Does Adderall Look Like?
What does Adderall look like?
Adderall IR comes as round or oval tablets — white (5 mg), blue (7.5–10 mg), or peach/orange (12.5–30 mg) — with the dose imprinted on one side and manufacturer code (“AD”, “dp”, or a generic code) on the other. Adderall XR comes as hard capsules — blue for lower doses (5–15 mg) and orange for higher doses (20–30 mg) — with “Adderall XR” and the dose imprinted on each half.
What colour is Adderall?
Colour depends on the dose: 5 mg = white; 7.5–10 mg = blue; 12.5–30 mg = peach to orange (for standard IR tablets). Adderall XR capsules are blue (5–15 mg) or orange (20–30 mg). Generic manufacturers may use different colours for the same dose.
What does Adderall XR look like compared to Adderall IR?
Adderall IR is a solid tablet (round or oval) with a visible score line for splitting. Adderall XR is a hard capsule — one half is often transparent or translucent, allowing you to see the small coloured beads inside that deliver the medication. Capsules cannot be split — they can only be swallowed whole or opened and sprinkled on food.
What do Australian ADHD stimulants look like compared to Adderall?
Australian dexamphetamine tablets are small, white, and round with “D5” embossed above a break bar — very different from Adderall’s coloured range. Vyvanse capsules are colour-coded hard gelatin capsules (S489 imprint) ranging from pink/ivory (low doses) to blue-white (50 mg) to blue-orange (70 mg) — more similar in form to Adderall XR capsules but with a distinct Takeda/Shire colour scheme.
How can you tell if Adderall is fake?
Genuine Adderall always has a manufacturer imprint on both faces. Warning signs for counterfeits include: no markings at all, misspelled packaging, chalky or crumbly texture, inconsistent or unusually bright colour, no score line on tablets (except 5 mg), and unusual smell. In Australia, any “Adderall” obtained outside a licensed pharmacy is counterfeit by definition — and may contain fentanyl, methamphetamine, or nitazenes.
Is it safe to take a pill that looks like Adderall in Australia?
No — any pill that appears to be Adderall obtained in Australia outside an authorised channel is definitionally an illegally imported or counterfeit product. Australian authorities have documented counterfeit pills containing deadly substances including nitazenes and fentanyl. Never take an unverified pill — contact the Poisons Information Centre on 13 11 26 in any case of uncertainty.
The Bottom Line
Adderall IR tablets are colour-coded by dose: white (5 mg), blue (7.5–10 mg), and peach-to-orange (12.5–30 mg) — all round or oval, scored for splitting, with dose and manufacturer imprinted on each face. Adderall XR capsules are blue (5–15 mg) or orange (20–30 mg), with small beads visible through the capsule shell. For Australians, these pills are not legally available — but the closest equivalents are dexamphetamine (small white round tablets, “D5” embossed, scored) and Vyvanse (hard capsules colour-coded from pink at 10 mg through to blue-orange at 70 mg, imprinted “S489”). The most critical safety warning for any Australian: any pill claiming to be Adderall and obtained in Australia outside a pharmacy is illegal, and almost certainly counterfeit — the AFP and Victorian Department of Health have confirmed counterfeit pills containing nitazenes, fentanyl, and other deadly substances are circulating in Australia. If there is any doubt about an unidentified pill, call the Poisons Information Centre on 13 11 26.
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