Free barcode generator · Google sign-in
Barcode generator for print‑ready packs.
Type a GTIN or SKU and get a scannable EAN‑13, UPC‑A, ITF‑14, Code 128, Code 39 or Interleaved 2 of 5, with the check digit worked out, standard quiet zones and the size in millimetres.
- 6 symbologies
- Check digits verified
- Vector SVG & CMYK PDF
Your creative workspace
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Continue with your Google account to design, preview and download. Your projects are saved to your account as you work.
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Designing is free. Free mockups carry a watermark, and dielines and print files are part of Pro.
No payment needed to start.
How it works
From number
to plate-ready file.
Everything runs in your browser. The number is checked as you type, and the file you download is the size you see.
- 01
Pick the symbology
EAN-13 for retail outside North America, UPC-A for the US and Canada, ITF-14 for outer cases, Code 128 for SKUs and serials.
- 02
Type the number
Enter the GTIN without its last digit and the check digit is added; paste the full number and it is verified. Mistakes are explained, with a fix.
- 03
Size it for print
Set the magnification or module width, bar height and quiet zone. The preview shows the exact size in millimetres and checks the colours.
- 04
Download and place
Vector SVG, CMYK PDF or a PNG at 300–1200 dpi. Drop it onto the back panel of your dieline, clear of folds and cuts.
Reference
Which barcode does
your pack need?
Retail checkouts read GTINs in EAN-13 and UPC-A; the supply chain reads ITF-14 on cases; Code 128 carries everything else.
| Symbology | Used for | Data | Size |
|---|---|---|---|
| EAN-13 | Consumer products sold at retail checkouts worldwide. | 12 digits + check digit (GTIN-13) | 37.29 × 25.93 mm at 100% (0.330 mm module) |
| UPC-A | Retail products sold mainly in the US and Canada. | 11 digits + check digit (GTIN-12) | 37.29 × 25.93 mm at 100% (0.330 mm module) |
| ITF-14 | Outer cases and shipping cartons in the supply chain, often printed straight onto corrugated. | 13 digits + check digit (GTIN-14) | Wide modules for corrugated; usually in a bearer frame |
| Code 128 | SKUs, batch and serial numbers, logistics and warehouse labels. | Printable ASCII: letters, digits, symbols | Grows with the data: about 11 modules per character |
| Code 39 | Internal and industrial labelling where older scanners expect it. | A–Z, 0–9, space, - . $ / + % | Wider than Code 128 for the same data |
| Interleaved 2 of 5 | Warehouse and carton numbering with numeric codes. | An even number of digits | Compact for long numbers |
UPC-A and EAN-13 share the same bars and the same 0.330 mm nominal module. ITF-14 is Interleaved 2 of 5 carrying a 14-digit GTIN.
Before you send artwork
Barcodes that scan
on the shelf.
Most failed scans come from placement and print, not the symbol itself.
Keep it off folds and edges
Place the code on a flat panel, at least a few millimetres inside the cut and away from creases, glue flaps and seams. A barcode wrapped over an edge rarely scans.
Mind the quiet zones
Leave the full clear margin either side of the bars. Background patterns, text and die cuts inside it are a common reason a symbol fails verification.
Print it in one ink
Thin bars built from four process colours misregister on press. Print bars in 100% black or a single dark spot colour.
Turn it on curved packs
On cans, bottles and tubes, rotate the code so its bars run around the pack and the scan follows the straight height (ladder orientation). Only small codes on wide containers can stay upright.
Avoid red bars
Red, orange and pink bars vanish under a scanner’s red light. Light bars on a dark ground also fail at most checkouts.
Don’t squash or truncate
Scale barcodes evenly. Stretching one axis or cutting the bar height short makes them harder to scan, especially at an angle.
Good to know
Questions,
answered.
Barcodes on packaging, from the GS1 number to the plate.
Where do I get a barcode number for my product?
Retail barcodes (EAN-13, UPC-A and ITF-14) carry a GTIN, a number built from a GS1 Company Prefix that your business licenses from its national GS1 organisation. This generator draws the symbol for a number you already have and works out its check digit; it does not issue numbers. Code 128, Code 39 and Interleaved 2 of 5 can carry your own SKUs and serials.
Should I print EAN-13 or UPC-A?
Both scan at checkouts worldwide today. Brands that sell mainly in the US and Canada usually print UPC-A (12 digits); everywhere else EAN-13 (13 digits) is the norm. A UPC-A number is an EAN-13 that starts with 0, and the generator draws identical bars for the two: only the digits underneath are laid out differently.
What size should a barcode be on my box?
EAN-13 and UPC-A are designed around a 0.330 mm module: at that 100% size the symbol is 37.29 mm wide including its quiet zones and 25.93 mm tall. GS1 allows magnifications from 80% to 200%. Shortening the bars (truncation) makes the code harder to scan at an angle and is best avoided. The preview shows the exact millimetre size for whatever you choose.
Why does a barcode need a quiet zone?
Scanners find a symbol by the clear space either side of it. EAN-13 needs 11 modules on the left and 7 on the right, UPC-A 9 on each side, and the other symbologies usually 10. Keep that space free of artwork, text, folds and die cuts. The hatched areas in the preview show it, and the downloads include it unless you turn it off.
Which colours can I print a barcode in?
Dark bars on a light background. Most scanners light the code with red, so red, orange and pink bars read as white, and red-free backgrounds such as blue or green read as dark. Black on white is the safest; dark blue, dark green and dark brown bars on white, cream or yellow also work. The scan checks under the preview flag risky combinations.
What is bar width reduction?
Ink spreads as it prints, so bars come out wider than the file. Bar width reduction makes every bar thinner by a fixed amount so they print at their intended width. The right value depends on the press, plate and substrate: flexo on corrugated usually needs more than offset on carton board. Ask your printer for it.
Are the downloads vector?
The SVG and PDF are vector, at the symbol’s real size in millimetres. The PDF writes black bars as 100% K so they print from one plate with no registration fringe. The PNG is for raster workflows: choose 300, 600 or 1200 dpi and it records that resolution, so layout apps place it at the right size.
Can I put the barcode straight onto my dieline?
Yes. Open the packaging editor, add a barcode to the back or base panel and it is drawn as vectors in the print PDF, with the panel’s safe area and folds marked so the code stays clear of them. You can also place the downloaded SVG or PDF in your own artwork.
Next: the pack itself
Your barcode, on a box that folds.
Pick a structure, add your artwork and the barcode to the back panel, and see it in 3D before you export print-ready PDF.