Barcode Generator
Generate a real, scannable barcode and download it as a PNG or copy it as SVG for print. Code 128 for anything textual, EAN-13 and UPC-A for retail with the check digit calculated for you. Everything is encoded in your browser, so your SKUs and order numbers are never uploaded.
Any text: inventory, shipping, asset tags. Runs of four or more digits are automatically packed two per symbol, which is why a long order number stays narrow enough to fit a label.
Common questions
- Which barcode type do I need?
- Code 128 for internal use such as inventory, asset tags and shipping references, because it encodes letters, digits and punctuation. EAN-13 for retail products sold anywhere in the world, and UPC-A for retail in the US and Canada. If you are labelling your own shelves, Code 128. If the item will be scanned at a till, you need a real, registered EAN or UPC.
- What is the check digit and why does it change my number?
- The last digit of an EAN-13 or UPC-A is calculated from all the others using alternating weights of 1 and 3. It lets a scanner detect a misread. Enter the first 12 digits and the correct one is appended; paste all 13 and it is verified, so a typo anywhere in the number is caught here rather than at the till.
- Why is my Code 128 barcode shorter than I expected?
- Runs of four or more digits are packed two per symbol using Code 128's code set C. A twenty-digit tracking number becomes about half the width it would otherwise be, which is often the difference between fitting a label and not. The encoder switches modes automatically and switches back for letters.
- Will this scan reliably when printed?
- Yes, if you keep two things. First, the quiet zone, the blank margin either side of the bars, which is included here and must not be cropped. Second, enough size: print at 2× or higher and avoid scaling the image down afterwards. Download the PNG, which is rendered at double resolution, or copy the SVG, which stays sharp at any size.
- Can I sell products using a barcode I generated here?
- The symbol will be technically valid and will scan, but a retail barcode also needs a number you are entitled to use. EAN and UPC numbers are issued by GS1, and retailers check they are registered to you. This tool encodes any number correctly, but it cannot assign you one.
- Is my data sent to a server?
- No. The encoding is done in your browser and so is the image. That is worth knowing for barcodes specifically, since the values are usually internal SKUs, order references or asset numbers you would rather not paste into someone else's website.
Exact. Check digits are computed to the specification for each symbology and the encoded bit pattern is verified by decoding it back before the barcode is shown. Print at a size your scanner can resolve. Encoding correctly does not guarantee a scan off a phone screen.