Barcode Generator

How Do You Generate a Barcode?

Select a format, enter its content and download the generated barcode as SVG or PNG. The preview updates from valid input, and validation errors explain what needs correcting. Use example supplies sample content for the selected format. Choose dimensions and colors before exporting so the file reflects your intended label.

Six formats are available: Code 128, EAN-13, UPC-A, EAN-8, Code 39 and ITF-14. They have different character and length rules. Switching formats changes the input hint and permitted length; a number accepted in one format may need a different length in another. Generation and image export happen in the browser.

Which Barcode Format Fits Your Application?

Choose the format your receiving system expects: EAN or UPC for retail, Code 128 for internal labels and shipping fields, ITF-14 for cartons, or Code 39 for legacy and industrial identifiers.

Barcode applications and checks before deploying a label

Application	Content to encode	What to check
Asset tags	Your existing asset identifier	The reader returns the exact identifier
Internal inventory	A stock or location code	The inventory system accepts Code 128 or Code 39
Library labels	An existing item identifier	The checkout system accepts your identifier format
Event tickets	A ticket identifier	Your access system verifies ticket validity separately
Shipping labels	A carrier-approved payload	The carrier accepts the selected format and data structure
Retail products	An assigned product identifier	The retailer requires EAN-13, UPC-A or EAN-8

Retail identifiers require GS1 allocation; a GS1-issued company prefix is needed where applicable. Generating bars does not register a product. ITF-14 encodes a 14-digit identifier for shipping cartons. Plain Code 128 output does not supply a specialized GS1-128 data-entry mode. Confirm carrier requirements before using it on operational shipping labels.

How Are Check Digits Calculated and Verified?

EAN-13, UPC-A, EAN-8 and ITF-14 calculate a missing GS1 check digit or verify the last digit of a complete code. EAN-13 accepts 12 or 13 digits, UPC-A accepts 11 or 12, EAN-8 accepts 7 or 8, and ITF-14 accepts 13 or 14.

For example, 400638133393 becomes 4006381333931, 03600029145 becomes 036000291452, and 9638507 becomes 96385074. ITF-14 input 1540014128876 becomes 15400141288763. A wrong final digit produces “Check digit should be N”, with N replaced by the expected digit. Correct the input before downloading; the error does not silently replace an incorrect complete code.

How Do Code 128 and Code 39 Handle Text?

Code 128 accepts printable ASCII, while Code 39 accepts a smaller set and converts lowercase letters to uppercase. Both text inputs allow up to 80 characters. Unsupported input produces a validation error rather than silently dropping characters from the encoded value.

Code 128 switches automatically between subsets B and C. Subset C encodes digit pairs, making long numeric data roughly half as wide as encoding each digit separately, before symbol overhead. Code 39 supports A–Z, 0–9, space and - . $ / + %. Its optional modulo-43 check character adds W to CODE39.

How Do Dimensions, Quiet Zones and Colors Affect Output?

The sliders control bar height, module width and requested quiet-zone margin. Bar height ranges from 50 to 200 pixels, module width from 1 to 4 pixels, and margin from 0 to 40 pixels. Horizontal quiet zones retain the format's minimum spacing even when the margin slider is lower.

EAN and UPC symbols have taller guard bars and grouped human-readable digits. Toggle the text label independently. Bar and background colors apply to the preview and exports; transparency removes the background. Preserve clear margins and dark bars on a light surface when placing the image in a label design.

Should You Download SVG or PNG?

Choose SVG for vector geometry or PNG when your label software needs a raster image. PNG scales of 1×, 2× and 4× multiply both exported dimensions. Scaling changes pixel dimensions rather than assigning a fixed print density.

Download names include the format and code, with filename-unsafe characters replaced. Copy SVG copies markup, and Share opens the sharing workflow. Keep the barcode proportions intact and scan a printed sample against the expected value. For a two-dimensional symbol, use the QR Code Generator.