Readout rebalancing for near-term quantum computers

Readout errors are a significant source of noise for near term intermediate scale quantum computers. Mismeasuring qubit as 1 when it should be 0 occurs much less often than mismeasuring have been 1. We make the simple observation that one can improve readout fidelity computers by applying targeted X gates prior to performing measurement. These placed so expected number qubits in state is minimized. Classical post processing undo effect expectation value any observable unchanged. show statistical uncertainty following error corrections smaller using rebalancing. The advantage circuit- and computer-dependent, demonstrated $W$ state, Grover search, Gaussian state. benefit precision most pronounced (and nearly factor two some cases) states with many excited high probability.