Barcode Generator

Type a number or paste a whole list and get barcodes that scan: the check digit of EAN-13 and UPC-A is worked out or verified as you type, Code 128 takes letters and symbols. Download each code as SVG or PNG, or print them on label sheets.

  • Free
  • No sign-up
  • Runs in your browser
Barcode type
How many codes

UPC-A: type 11 digits and the check digit is added, or all 12 to verify it.

Is this a registered barcode? No. The tool builds correct, scannable codes from the number you give it, but a number is only yours to sell under once your company licenses it from GS1. Shops and marketplaces check that. For codes used only inside your own store or stockroom, start the EAN-13 with 2: GS1 keeps 200 to 299 for in-store use.
Paper

Ready-cut label sheets are listed by the layout they match. Pick plain paper to cut the labels yourself.

Everything is made in this browser. The numbers and texts you type are not sent to VISU or stored.

Preview

Type a number, or fill the form with the example, to see the barcode.

A small line at the foot of each sheet, clear of the codes and the cut marks. Untick to remove it: free, no account.

In the print window choose scale 100% (not "fit to page") and margins "none". Scan one printed label with a phone or a scanner before printing the batch.

Powered by VISU

When a barcode is not the right code

  1. A code that opens a page

    A barcode only holds a number for a scanner. When a phone should open a product page, a menu or a WhatsApp chat, print a QR code instead, free and without an account.

    Open the QR code generator

  2. Hundreds of QR codes at once

    Have a spreadsheet of products with a link each? The bulk QR generator turns every row into its own QR code, in one ZIP and on a sheet to print.

    Open the bulk QR generator

  3. Get your shop found nearby

    VISU Local puts your business on a page people find around you, with your hours, contacts and products.

    See VISU Local

How to use it

  1. Pick the type: EAN-13 for products sold in most countries, UPC-A for the US and Canada, Code 128 for stock, shipping and anything with letters.
  2. Type the number. For EAN-13 and UPC-A leave out the last digit and the tool adds it, or type it and the tool checks it.
  3. For many codes switch to A list and paste one code per line, with an optional product name after a comma, or open a CSV file.
  4. Choose the size and download the code as SVG for packaging artwork or as a 300 DPI PNG.
  5. To print labels, choose the paper and the label sheet you have, or plain paper, then print at 100% and scan one label first.

Examples

  • In-store codes for a bakery

    Twelve products numbered from 200123450001: each gets its check digit, prints on a sheet of 21 labels and scans at the till.

  • Stockroom shelves

    Code 128 labels such as SHELF-B3 and BIN-0417, 30 per Letter sheet, for a handheld scanner.

  • Artwork for a new package

    The EAN-13 your company licensed from GS1, verified and downloaded as an SVG at 100% to place in the design file.

Questions

Is the barcode I make here a registered barcode?

No. The tool encodes the number you type correctly, so it scans, but it does not give you a registered number. To sell through shops and marketplaces your company needs a GS1 company prefix from the GS1 office of your country, and the numbers you build from it. For codes used only inside your own business, EAN-13 numbers that start with 2 (200 to 299) are the range GS1 keeps for in-store use.

What is the check digit and how is it worked out?

It is the last digit of an EAN-13 or UPC-A, there to catch typing and scanning mistakes. Multiply the digits by 3 and 1 alternately, starting with 3 on the rightmost digit before the check digit, add everything up and take the amount that brings the total to the next multiple of 10. The tool does it as you type and tells you when a 13 or 12 digit number has the wrong last digit.

Which type should I use?

EAN-13 for retail products in most of the world, UPC-A for retail in the US and Canada (a UPC-A is the same code as an EAN-13 that starts with 0), and Code 128 for internal use: stock, shelves, assets, shipping, anything with letters or a variable length.

What size should the barcode be?

For EAN-13 and UPC-A the standard is 100%, about 37.3 mm wide by 25.9 mm tall with its margins. GS1 allows 80% to 200%. Smaller than 80% fails at many checkouts. Keep the white margins on both sides and do not shorten the bars unless the label really has no room.

SVG or PNG?

SVG for print artwork: it is vector, keeps the exact size in millimetres and stays sharp at any zoom. PNG at 300 DPI for documents and labels made in other programs: every bar is a whole number of pixels, so the edges stay crisp. Insert it at 100% size, not stretched.

How do I print barcode labels at home?

Choose the paper size and the label sheet you have, or plain paper to cut by hand, print at scale 100% with no margins, and scan one label before printing the rest. Black bars on white work best. Red or light colours do not scan, because scanners read with red light.

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