How do I get a real EAN-13 / UPC-A code for my product?

Buy a GS1 prefix from your country's GS1 office — in Pakistan that's GS1 Pakistan; in India GS1 India; in the US it's gs1us.org. They assign you a manufacturer prefix and you mint product codes from it. This generator will render any EAN-13 you provide, but please don't invent a 13-digit number for retail use. It will collide with another manufacturer's code and your packaging will scan as someone else's product at the till.

Why does my EAN-13 look different from the one printed on my product?

Either you entered 12 digits (in which case this generator computed the check digit for you) or 13 digits (the last digit is your check digit; if it's wrong, every scanner rejects the code). If the bar pattern still differs visually, it's probably a font or rendering version difference between print shops — the underlying number is what scanners actually read. Verify the digits match, not the pixels.

PNG for one-off prints at a fixed size, social media graphics, and Word or PDF documents. SVG when the barcode needs to scale — posters, packaging, signage, anywhere the final print size isn't decided yet. SVG is vector so it stays crisp at any scale. PNG pixelates the moment it's enlarged past its rendered size, which is exactly how production barcodes end up unreadable.

How wide should I print the barcode?

GS1 recommends a minimum X-dimension (single bar width) of 0.264 mm for retail EAN/UPC and 0.495 mm for shipping ITF-14. Smaller and scanners start misreading. The 'Bar width' slider here scales the X-dimension in pixels — 2 px gives you a comfortable size on a 300 DPI laser printer. If you're using a thermal printer on corrugated cardboard, go even wider to survive print bleed.

Why does my Code 39 reject lowercase letters?

Because Code 39 only accepts digits, uppercase A-Z, space, and six symbols (- . $ / + %). That's it. If your SKU is 'abc-123', the generator rejects it. Switch to Code 128, which handles full ASCII (including lowercase) and is actually slightly denser per character anyway. There's almost no good reason to pick Code 39 in 2026 unless a legacy scanner demands it.

Can the barcode be coloured?

Yes, with one caveat that catches people out: scanners read brightness contrast, not colour. Dark bars on a light background work. Avoid red bars on white because old red-laser scanners see red as 'light' and your bars become invisible. Avoid dark backgrounds with light bars too — most scanners assume the opposite. Black on white is universally safe for production. Get creative on social graphics, stay boring on actual labels.

Premium Converters

Barcode Generator

Utility

Generate Code 128, EAN-13, UPC-A, Code 39, ITF-14, and more. Free PNG and SVG download with format-aware validation.

Utility

Barcode Generator

Generated on August 22, 2026

Barcode Format

Most common; supports all ASCII characters.

Value to encode

Customize appearance

Show value below barcode

Bar width (2)

Bar height (100px)

Quiet zone margin (10px)

Bar color

Background

Live preview

Scan with any barcode scanner app to verify.

1 min readHow we build →

Quick Answer

Generate Code 128, EAN-13, UPC-A, Code 39, ITF-14, and more. Free PNG and SVG download with format-aware validation.

A quick primer — Barcode Generator

Utility

A barcode is a one-dimensional pattern of vertical bars and spaces that encodes a string of characters — a product SKU, a tracking number, a library catalog ID. This generator supports all the major retail and industrial standards: Code 128 (the universal default), EAN-13 (worldwide retail), UPC-A (US/Canada retail), Code 39 (inventory and ID cards), ITF-14 (shipping cartons), MSI (warehousing), pharmacode (pharmaceuticals), and codabar (libraries and blood banks). Each format has different rules about which characters it accepts and how long the value must be — the generator validates your input as you type and explains what's wrong when it's invalid.

Formula

Code 128 packs every ASCII character using three character sets (A, B, C) with switching codes — variable length. EAN-13 is fixed at 13 digits with a Mod-10 check digit (computed from the first 12 digits and printed as the last). UPC-A is the 12-digit US predecessor that EAN-13 extends. ITF-14 wraps an EAN-13 (or 14-digit GTIN) for shipping cartons. The check-digit formula for EAN-13: sum the odd-position digits, multiply the sum of even-position digits by 3, add them, and the check digit is the value that brings the total to a multiple of 10.

The first product ever scanned at retail (June 26, 1974) was a 10-pack of Wrigley's Juicy Fruit gum at a supermarket in Ohio — a UPC-A code.

Walmart stores collectively scan over 1.5 billion barcodes per day across global operations.

Every book printed since 1970 has an ISBN encoded as an EAN-13 starting with 978 or 979.

By Muhammad Salman Saleem, Full-Stack Web DeveloperMethodologyAlways free · Your inputs never leave your browser

A few things worth knowing

Most people who need a barcode generator are either small-shop owners getting ready to print SKU labels on a thermal printer, warehouse staff making pick-tickets, or product makers who just bought a GS1 prefix and need to render their first real EAN-13 for retail packaging. The single biggest mistake is picking the wrong format: Code 128 is the safest universal default (accepts letters, digits, and most ASCII; fits anywhere), but it isn't what supermarkets scan at the till — that's EAN-13 (worldwide) or UPC-A (US/Canada), which are digits-only and require a check digit. Get the check digit wrong by a single number and every scanner on the planet rejects the code. This generator computes it for you when you enter 12 digits, or validates yours if you enter 13. The other quiet detail is sizing: GS1 specifies a minimum bar width (0.264 mm for EAN/UPC) so scanners can read across consumer lighting and label wear. Print too small and the bars blur into each other. Download as PNG for fixed-size prints or SVG for posters and signage that'll be resized.

Pro tips most people learn the hard way

Choose Code 128 when in doubt — it accepts every ASCII character and is read by every modern scanner. EAN-13, UPC-A, and ITF-14 are for registered retail products with a real GS1 prefix. Don't invent a 13-digit number and print it on packaging — it'll collide with someone else's real product code.
Pro tip on check digits: EAN-13 and UPC-A use Mod-10 (sum odd positions + 3× sum of even positions = multiple of 10). A single transposed digit fails check. This generator computes the check digit if you give it 12 digits, or validates if you give it 13 — both prevent the most common print-and-discover-it's-broken bug.
Bar colour matters less than contrast. Black on white is universally safe. Red bars on white can read as 'light' to old red-laser scanners — they're actually invisible to that hardware. Dark blue or black is the only safe non-experimental choice for production labels.
Here's what bites pharmacies and warehouses: Code 39 doesn't accept lowercase. If your SKU is 'ABC-123' you're fine; if it's 'abc-123' the generator rejects it. Switch to Code 128 for any string that mixes case or includes symbols beyond the Code 39 set (- . $ / + %).
SVG when you'll resize, PNG when you won't. Shipping cartons (ITF-14) need bars at least 0.495 mm wide for thermal printers on corrugated cardboard. Smaller and the print bleeds; bigger wastes label real estate. SVG lets the print shop scale safely without re-rendering.

?What is the Barcode Generator?

The Formula

Code 128 packs every ASCII character using three character sets (A, B, C) with switching codes — variable length. EAN-13 is fixed at 13 digits with a Mod-10 check digit (computed from the first 12 digits and printed as the last). UPC-A is the 12-digit US predecessor that EAN-13 extends. ITF-14 wraps an EAN-13 (or 14-digit GTIN) for shipping cartons. The check-digit formula for EAN-13: sum the odd-position digits, multiply the sum of even-position digits by 3, add them, and the check digit is the value that brings the total to a multiple of 10.

Linear (1D) barcodes use bar thickness ratios to encode digits; the scanner reads the relative widths of the dark and light stripes. Different formats use different ratio systems: Code 128 uses 11-module bars/spaces in three width classes; EAN-13 uses 7-module bars in a left/right pattern that includes parity. The check digit catches single-digit typos and most adjacent-digit transpositions. UPC-A and EAN-13 are functionally interchangeable (a UPC-A is an EAN-13 with a leading zero); modern POS systems read both. Code 128 is preferred when you need to encode letters or special characters because EAN/UPC is digits-only.

Common Barcode Formats — Capacity & Use Case

Side-by-side reference of supported barcode standards and what each is used for.

Format	Allowed characters	Length	Primary use
Code 128	All 128 ASCII characters	Variable	Universal — shipping, inventory, ID
Code 39	0-9, A-Z, - . $ / + % space	Variable	Older inventory and ID cards
EAN-13	Digits only	13 (12 + check)	Worldwide retail product codes
EAN-8	Digits only	8 (7 + check)	Small retail products
UPC-A	Digits only	12 (11 + check)	US/Canada retail
ITF-14	Digits only	14 (13 + check)	Shipping cartons (GTIN-14)
MSI	Digits only	Variable	Warehouse shelving
Pharmacode	3 to 131,070	1–5 digits	Pharmaceutical packaging
Codabar	Digits + - . $ : / + (delimited A-D)	Variable	Libraries, blood banks, FedEx

Put It in Perspective

The first product ever scanned at retail (June 26, 1974) was a 10-pack of Wrigley's Juicy Fruit gum at a supermarket in Ohio — a UPC-A code.

Walmart stores collectively scan over 1.5 billion barcodes per day across global operations.

Every book printed since 1970 has an ISBN encoded as an EAN-13 starting with 978 or 979.

Library books worldwide still use Codabar because replacing the installed scanner base would cost billions.

Practical Examples

EAN-13 starting with 600–639 indicates a product registered in Pakistan; 890 is India; 690–695 is China; 0–019 is the US/Canada.

Code 128 is used on shipping labels, courier airbills, and warehouse pick-tickets because it's compact and accepts any character.

UPC-A is what every supermarket scanner in the US reads — the 12-digit code printed on cereal boxes, soft-drink cans, and shampoo bottles.

ITF-14 (Interleaved 2 of 5) is the bigger barcode you see on shipping cartons — designed to print on corrugated cardboard without losing legibility.

Pharmacode (Code 32 in Italy, Pharmacode One in the US) is the simple binary-style barcode on pharmaceutical packaging used to verify the right pill is in the right blister pack.

Codabar predates Code 128 and is still used on FedEx airbills, library books, and blood-bank bag labels because of huge installed-base inertia.

Frequently Asked Questions

Code 128 is your safe default — it accepts letters, digits, and most ASCII symbols, and every modern scanner reads it. Use EAN-13 or UPC-A only when you're registering real retail products with GS1. Use ITF-14 for shipping cartons. Reach for Code 39 only when a legacy system specifically demands short uppercase IDs. When in doubt, Code 128 will not let you down.

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Premium Converters

Barcode Generator

Utility

Generate Code 128, EAN-13, UPC-A, Code 39, ITF-14, and more. Free PNG and SVG download with format-aware validation.

Utility

Barcode Generator

Generated on August 22, 2026

Barcode Format

Most common; supports all ASCII characters.

Value to encode

Customize appearance

Show value below barcode

Bar width (2)

Bar height (100px)

Quiet zone margin (10px)

Bar color

Background

Live preview

Scan with any barcode scanner app to verify.

1 min readHow we build →

Quick Answer

Generate Code 128, EAN-13, UPC-A, Code 39, ITF-14, and more. Free PNG and SVG download with format-aware validation.

A quick primer — Barcode Generator

Utility

Formula

Code 128 packs every ASCII character using three character sets (A, B, C) with switching codes — variable length. EAN-13 is fixed at 13 digits with a Mod-10 check digit (computed from the first 12 digits and printed as the last). UPC-A is the 12-digit US predecessor that EAN-13 extends. ITF-14 wraps an EAN-13 (or 14-digit GTIN) for shipping cartons. The check-digit formula for EAN-13: sum the odd-position digits, multiply the sum of even-position digits by 3, add them, and the check digit is the value that brings the total to a multiple of 10.

The first product ever scanned at retail (June 26, 1974) was a 10-pack of Wrigley's Juicy Fruit gum at a supermarket in Ohio — a UPC-A code.

Walmart stores collectively scan over 1.5 billion barcodes per day across global operations.

Every book printed since 1970 has an ISBN encoded as an EAN-13 starting with 978 or 979.

By Muhammad Salman Saleem, Full-Stack Web DeveloperMethodologyAlways free · Your inputs never leave your browser

A few things worth knowing

Pro tips most people learn the hard way

Choose Code 128 when in doubt — it accepts every ASCII character and is read by every modern scanner. EAN-13, UPC-A, and ITF-14 are for registered retail products with a real GS1 prefix. Don't invent a 13-digit number and print it on packaging — it'll collide with someone else's real product code.
Pro tip on check digits: EAN-13 and UPC-A use Mod-10 (sum odd positions + 3× sum of even positions = multiple of 10). A single transposed digit fails check. This generator computes the check digit if you give it 12 digits, or validates if you give it 13 — both prevent the most common print-and-discover-it's-broken bug.
Bar colour matters less than contrast. Black on white is universally safe. Red bars on white can read as 'light' to old red-laser scanners — they're actually invisible to that hardware. Dark blue or black is the only safe non-experimental choice for production labels.
Here's what bites pharmacies and warehouses: Code 39 doesn't accept lowercase. If your SKU is 'ABC-123' you're fine; if it's 'abc-123' the generator rejects it. Switch to Code 128 for any string that mixes case or includes symbols beyond the Code 39 set (- . $ / + %).
SVG when you'll resize, PNG when you won't. Shipping cartons (ITF-14) need bars at least 0.495 mm wide for thermal printers on corrugated cardboard. Smaller and the print bleeds; bigger wastes label real estate. SVG lets the print shop scale safely without re-rendering.

?What is the Barcode Generator?

The Formula

Common Barcode Formats — Capacity & Use Case

Side-by-side reference of supported barcode standards and what each is used for.

Format	Allowed characters	Length	Primary use
Code 128	All 128 ASCII characters	Variable	Universal — shipping, inventory, ID
Code 39	0-9, A-Z, - . $ / + % space	Variable	Older inventory and ID cards
EAN-13	Digits only	13 (12 + check)	Worldwide retail product codes
EAN-8	Digits only	8 (7 + check)	Small retail products
UPC-A	Digits only	12 (11 + check)	US/Canada retail
ITF-14	Digits only	14 (13 + check)	Shipping cartons (GTIN-14)
MSI	Digits only	Variable	Warehouse shelving
Pharmacode	3 to 131,070	1–5 digits	Pharmaceutical packaging
Codabar	Digits + - . $ : / + (delimited A-D)	Variable	Libraries, blood banks, FedEx

Put It in Perspective

The first product ever scanned at retail (June 26, 1974) was a 10-pack of Wrigley's Juicy Fruit gum at a supermarket in Ohio — a UPC-A code.

Walmart stores collectively scan over 1.5 billion barcodes per day across global operations.

Every book printed since 1970 has an ISBN encoded as an EAN-13 starting with 978 or 979.

Library books worldwide still use Codabar because replacing the installed scanner base would cost billions.

Practical Examples

EAN-13 starting with 600–639 indicates a product registered in Pakistan; 890 is India; 690–695 is China; 0–019 is the US/Canada.

Code 128 is used on shipping labels, courier airbills, and warehouse pick-tickets because it's compact and accepts any character.

UPC-A is what every supermarket scanner in the US reads — the 12-digit code printed on cereal boxes, soft-drink cans, and shampoo bottles.

ITF-14 (Interleaved 2 of 5) is the bigger barcode you see on shipping cartons — designed to print on corrugated cardboard without losing legibility.

Pharmacode (Code 32 in Italy, Pharmacode One in the US) is the simple binary-style barcode on pharmaceutical packaging used to verify the right pill is in the right blister pack.

Codabar predates Code 128 and is still used on FedEx airbills, library books, and blood-bank bag labels because of huge installed-base inertia.

Frequently Asked Questions

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Barcode Generator (2026) | Premium Converters

Premium Converters

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Barcode Generator

Barcode Generator

A quick primer — Barcode Generator

A few things worth knowing

Pro tips most people learn the hard way

?What is the Barcode Generator?

The Formula

Common Barcode Formats — Capacity & Use Case

Put It in Perspective

Practical Examples

Frequently Asked Questions

Popular Conversions

Embed this calculator on your site

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Premium Converters

Barcode Generator

Barcode Generator

A quick primer — Barcode Generator

A few things worth knowing

Pro tips most people learn the hard way

?What is the Barcode Generator?

The Formula

Common Barcode Formats — Capacity & Use Case

Put It in Perspective

Practical Examples

Frequently Asked Questions

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Barcode Generator

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A quick primer — Barcode Generator

A few things worth knowing

Pro tips most people learn the hard way

?What is the Barcode Generator?

The Formula

Common Barcode Formats — Capacity & Use Case

Put It in Perspective

Practical Examples

Frequently Asked Questions

Which barcode format should I choose?

How do I get a real EAN-13 / UPC-A code for my product?

Why does my EAN-13 look different from the one printed on my product?

PNG or SVG?

How wide should I print the barcode?

Why does my Code 39 reject lowercase letters?

Can the barcode be coloured?

Popular Conversions

Embed this calculator on your site

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Barcode Generator

Barcode Generator

A quick primer — Barcode Generator

A few things worth knowing

Pro tips most people learn the hard way

?What is the Barcode Generator?

The Formula

Common Barcode Formats — Capacity & Use Case

Put It in Perspective

Practical Examples

Frequently Asked Questions

Which barcode format should I choose?

How do I get a real EAN-13 / UPC-A code for my product?

Why does my EAN-13 look different from the one printed on my product?

PNG or SVG?

How wide should I print the barcode?

Why does my Code 39 reject lowercase letters?

Can the barcode be coloured?

Popular Conversions

Embed this calculator on your site

More Utility Tools

Browse other categories