How to use the barcode generator
- Choose the Barcode type – Code 128, EAN-13, EAN-8, UPC-A, Code 39, ITF-14 or Codabar. The note under the field explains what each type accepts.
- Type the value. For EAN, UPC and ITF-14 you can leave off the last digit and it is calculated for you. Any problem, such as a wrong length or a wrong check digit, is explained straight away.
- Adjust Size and style – bar width, height, quiet zone (margin), text size, whether to show the number below the bars, and the bar and background colours.
- Pick the PNG resolution (2×, 3× or 4×) and press Download PNG, or press Download SVG for a vector file.
Features
- Seven barcode types: Code 128, EAN-13, EAN-8, UPC-A, Code 39, ITF-14 and Codabar.
- Automatic check digits for EAN-13, EAN-8, UPC-A and ITF-14, and verification when you type the full number.
- Clear validation messages for each type: digits only, the right length, the allowed characters, or the correct check digit.
- Live preview that updates as you type and change settings.
- PNG at 2×, 3× or 4× the preview size for crisp printing, and SVG for unlimited scaling.
- Custom colours with a warning when the contrast is too low for scanners.
- Spaces and hyphens ignored in numeric codes, so you can paste a number as it is printed on a package.
Barcode types explained
Code 128 encodes all plain ASCII characters – upper- and lower-case letters, digits and punctuation. It is dense, reliable and the standard for shipping labels, warehouse locations and inventory.
EAN-13 is the 13-digit number on almost every retail product outside North America. The first digits identify the company that registered the number with GS1, and the last digit is the check digit.
EAN-8 is a shorter 8-digit version for small packs where an EAN-13 barcode would not fit.
UPC-A is the 12-digit retail barcode used in the US and Canada. A UPC-A number becomes an EAN-13 number by adding a leading zero, so scanners worldwide read both.
Code 39 is an older format that encodes capital letters, digits and a few symbols. It is still used on ID badges, in industry and by some government systems.
ITF-14 holds 14 digits and is printed on outer cartons and cases. It is designed to scan well even when printed on corrugated cardboard.
Codabar encodes digits and a few symbols between start and stop letters A–D. Libraries, blood banks and some parcel services still use it. If you don't type the start and stop letters, A is used at both ends.
How the check digit is calculated
EAN, UPC and ITF-14 use the same method. Starting from the rightmost digit before the check digit, multiply the digits alternately by 3 and 1 and add them up. The check digit is the number you need to add to reach the next multiple of 10. For 590123412345, the weighted sum is 83, so the check digit is 7 and the full EAN-13 is 5901234123457.
Printing tips
- Keep the quiet zone: scanners need blank space on both sides of the bars. The margin setting adds it around the barcode.
- Don't squash the barcode horizontally in a design program – scale it evenly, or use the SVG.
- Print a test and scan it with a phone or the actual scanner before ordering a large batch of labels.
Why use Fileora's barcode generator
Many barcode sites add watermarks, limit downloads or ask for an email address. This one is free, has no watermark and needs no sign-up. It checks your number before you print, which saves you from labels that scan as the wrong product, and it tells you honestly when a number needs to come from GS1.
Everything runs in your browser, so the numbers you enter stay on your device.
To check a code you have printed, the QR code scanner reads QR codes from your camera or a screenshot. For two-dimensional codes that hold links or Wi-Fi details, use the QR code generator, and if you need a document to go with your products, the invoice generator creates a PDF invoice.