An image processing method of locating and recognizing barcodes in an image frame is applicable to an image processing apparatus. The method is to define plural scan tracks on the sample image frame, and the image processing apparatus searches for the section(s) possibly having the barcode, along each scan track. If the section(s) possibly having the barcode found on two neighboring scan tracks by the image processing apparatus is located at an approximate horizontal axis position, the image processing apparatus determines that a quadrilateral area defined by the two sections possibly having the barcode is an area possibly having the barcode. Therefore, the image processing apparatus can quickly locate and recognize the barcode area in the image frame.