How to create a barcode
- Choose the format your scanner, retailer or courier asks for. If nobody told you, see the table below.
- Type the number or text. Retail formats show the check digit as soon as the number is long enough.
- Set bar height and whether the human-readable text is printed under the bars.
- Download SVG for print and labels, or PNG for documents.
- Print a test at 100% scale and scan it with the scanner that will be used in practice.
Which barcode should I use?
Selling products in shops
EAN-13 (worldwide) or UPC-A (USA and Canada), using a GS1 number assigned to you.
Inventory, assets and shipping labels
Code 128. It is compact and encodes letters, numbers and symbols.
Cartons and outer cases
ITF-14, which prints well on corrugated cardboard.
Books
ISBN barcodes (an EAN-13 starting with 978 or 979).
Very small parts
Data Matrix: a tiny square that holds a serial number or link.
IDs and tickets
PDF417, the stacked code used on many driving licences and boarding passes.
Formats at a glance
| Format | Data | Typical use |
|---|---|---|
| EAN-13 | 12 digits + check digit | Retail products worldwide |
| EAN-8 | 7 digits + check digit | Very small retail packs |
| UPC-A / UPC-E | 11 digits + check / compressed | US and Canada retail |
| Code 128 | Letters, digits, symbols | Shipping, inventory, logistics |
| Code 39 | A–Z, 0–9, a few symbols | Industry, ID badges |
| ITF-14 | 13 digits + check digit | Cartons and outer cases |
| ISBN | ISBN-10 or ISBN-13 | Books |
| Data Matrix | Text or link (2D) | Small parts, healthcare |
| PDF417 | Text (stacked 2D) | IDs, tickets, labels |
Before you print
- Generating a barcode does not register a product number. Barcodes sold through retailers need numbers issued to your company by GS1 (or your country’s GS1 office).
- Print at 100% scale. Shrinking a retail barcode below its minimum size makes it unreadable at the till.
- Keep a clear margin (quiet zone) on both sides of 1D barcodes, at least 10 times the thinnest bar.
- Dark bars on a white or light background scan best. Red bars are invisible to most laser scanners.
Questions people ask
Are these barcodes free to use commercially?
Yes. The images are yours. For retail products, the number itself must come from GS1.
Is my data uploaded?
No. Barcodes are drawn in your browser.
What is the difference between a barcode and a QR code?
A 1D barcode holds a short number read by laser or camera scanners. A QR code is 2D and holds much more, including links. Retail tills still expect EAN or UPC.
Last updated 11 October 2026 by the QRizeo team.