How to create an ISBN barcode
- Get an ISBN from your country’s ISBN agency (in India, the Raja Rammohun Roy National Agency; in the US, Bowker).
- Enter it with or without hyphens. A 10-digit ISBN is converted to its 13-digit form.
- Download SVG and place it on the back cover, usually bottom right, at about 37 × 26 mm.
Uses
Printed books
Bookshops and distributors scan this barcode.
Self-publishing
Many print-on-demand services ask you to supply the barcode on your cover file.
Limits
- You need a real ISBN assigned to your book; this tool does not issue ISBNs.
- Price add-on codes (the small 5-digit barcode used in the US) are not included yet.
- Each format (paperback, hardback, ebook) needs its own ISBN.
Questions people ask
Why does an ISBN barcode start with 978?
ISBNs are part of the EAN system under the 978 and 979 prefixes, called “Bookland”.
Last updated 11 October 2026 by the QRizeo team.