A barcode encodes a number or short text as a row of bars a scanner can read in an instant. The main thing to get right is choosing the correct type for your job. Here is how to make a barcode that scans.
TL;DR Open the barcode generator, pick a type, enter your value, then download a PNG or SVG. Check digits are added for you where the format needs them.
Pick the right type
Each barcode type, or symbology, suits a different job:
- Code 128 is the all-rounder. It handles letters and numbers and packs them compactly, which makes it the right default for internal labels, shipping and inventory.
- EAN-13 is the 13-digit barcode on retail products across most of the world. Use it when a product needs to scan at a checkout.
- UPC-A is the 12-digit version common in North America. Same idea, different region.
- Code 39 encodes letters, numbers and a few symbols. It is bulkier than Code 128 but some older systems still require it.
If you are unsure and just need a working barcode, choose Code 128.
Let the check digit be calculated
EAN-13 and UPC-A end in a check digit, a number derived from the others that lets a scanner catch a misread. You do not have to work it out. Enter the first 12 digits for EAN-13, or the first 11 for UPC-A, and the tool adds the final digit. If you paste a complete code, it checks that the last digit is correct and warns you if it is not.
Print so it scans
Give the barcode room. Keep a clear margin, the quiet zone, on the left and right, and do not shrink it so far that the thin bars blur. Print dark bars on a light background, and avoid stretching the image, since distorting the bar widths breaks the read.
Test before a big run
Print one label and scan it with the scanner you will actually use. A quick test catches sizing and contrast problems before you commit to a thousand copies.
Make one now
The barcode generator runs entirely in your browser, so your value is never uploaded. Pick a type, enter the value, set a color, and download a PNG or SVG.