Barcode Generator — Code 128, EAN-13, UPC-A Online

What is the Barcode Generator?

A barcode generator turns a product number, SKU or serial into the pattern of bars a scanner reads. Choose the symbology, type the data, and a correctly encoded barcode is drawn as you type — with the check digit calculated for you, the right quiet zones on either side, and the human-readable digits printed underneath in the groups you see on real labels.

It supports the formats that cover almost every everyday use: EAN-13, UPC-A and EAN-8 for retail products, ITF-14 for outer cartons, Code 128 for shipping labels, SKUs and anything with letters, Code 39 for ID badges and industrial parts, and plain Interleaved 2 of 5. Download the result as an SVG, which stays sharp at any print size, or as a PNG at up to eight times the on-screen size. Nothing is uploaded; the barcode is built in your browser.

How to use it

Pick the barcode type. Use EAN-13 or UPC-A for retail, ITF-14 for cartons and Code 128 for anything else.
Enter the data. For EAN, UPC and ITF-14 you can leave off the check digit and it is calculated.
Adjust bar height, bar width, quiet zone, text size and colours if you need to.
Download an SVG for print and design work, or a PNG for documents and the web.
Test-scan the printed barcode before you print a large run.

Example

An EAN-13 number with its check digit calculated.

EAN-13, first 12 digits

400638133393

Barcode

Encoded:      4006381333931
Check digit:  1 (calculated)
Printed as:   4  006381  333931
Width:        95 modules plus 11 + 7 quiet zone

Features

EAN-13, UPC-A, EAN-8, ITF-14, Code 128, Code 39 and Interleaved 2 of 5
Check digits calculated, or verified if you type them
Code 128 switches between code sets automatically for the shortest barcode
Optional mod 43 check for Code 39 and mod 10 for Interleaved 2 of 5
Retail-style digit grouping and extended guard bars on EAN and UPC
Bearer bars for ITF-14 cartons
Pixel-exact SVG and PNG downloads, with warnings for narrow quiet zones and low contrast
Free, no watermark, nothing uploaded

Frequently asked questions

Which barcode type should I use?

For products sold in shops, use the type your GS1 barcode number was issued for — EAN-13 in most of the world (including India), UPC-A in the United States and Canada, or EAN-8 for very small packs. Use ITF-14 on outer shipping cartons. For internal SKUs, asset tags, shipping references and anything with letters, use Code 128; it is compact and every scanner reads it. Code 39 is mainly for older systems and ID badges that require it.

Can I make up my own EAN-13 or UPC number?

You can generate a barcode for any number, and it will scan, but a number you make up is not registered to your business. Retailers and marketplaces that require GTINs check them against the GS1 registry, so for products you sell through them you need numbers licensed from GS1 (GS1 India in India). For internal use — stock rooms, libraries, events — made-up numbers or Code 128 are fine.

What is a check digit?

The last digit of an EAN, UPC or ITF-14 number is calculated from the others, so a scanner can detect a misread. Enter the number without it and the correct digit is added; enter the full number and it is verified, with a message telling you the right digit if yours does not match.

SVG or PNG — which should I download?

SVG is vector, so it prints perfectly sharp at any size and is the best choice for labels, packaging and design tools. PNG is an image; choose a scale of 4× or more for print so the bars stay crisp. Never resize a PNG barcode by a fraction of its size, which blurs the bar edges.

Why will my barcode not scan?

The usual causes are a quiet zone that is too narrow (keep the blank margin on both sides), bars printed too small for the printer, too little contrast, or light bars on a dark background. Dark bars on a white background, a bar width of at least two pixels on screen and the recommended quiet zone scan most reliably. The generator warns you about narrow quiet zones and low contrast.