Barcode Generator

Create CODE128, EAN-13, UPC and 20+ formats as PNG, SVG or label sheets

Written by toolforge.websiteLast reviewed 23 August 2026How we build and check these tools

Barcode Generator: key facts

What it does: Create CODE128, EAN-13, UPC and 20+ formats as PNG, SVG or label sheets
Category: Generators
Cost: Free, with no account, sign-up, or install.
Your data: Runs entirely in your browser — the files and text you enter are never uploaded to a server.
Last reviewed: 23 August 2026. Report an incorrect result.

What this tool is for

Need a scannable barcode for a product label, a library book, a warehouse bin, or an asset tag? This generator turns a line of text or digits into a crisp 1D symbol you can download, print, or run off by the hundred — covering the symbologies that actually show up in retail and logistics.

Twenty-odd formats sit behind one grouped dropdown: CODE128 (with its A, B and C sub-sets), CODE39, CODE93 and CODE93 Full ASCII for general alphanumeric data; EAN-13, EAN-8, UPC-A, UPC-E and the EAN-2 and EAN-5 add-ons for retail; ITF-14 and Interleaved 2 of 5 for cartons; and MSI, Pharmacode and Codabar for shelf edges, pharmacy cartons and library cards. Each carries strict rules, so the tool states the character set and length up front, calculates the mod-10 check digit for you when the format has one, and explains exactly what is wrong when the data does not fit — instead of quietly rendering something no scanner will read.

Three panels cover three jobs. Single builds and styles one symbol. Batch takes a pasted list, a CSV, or a generated serial run and exports the lot as a ZIP or a printable label sheet. The GS1-128 builder assembles Application Identifier chains — GTIN, batch, expiry, serial — and inserts the FNC1 separators that logistics labels require.

How to use the Barcode Generator

Type or paste your data, then pick a symbology — the panel beneath the dropdown states the allowed characters and length, and a valid sample loads whenever your existing data will not fit the new format.
Take the offered check digit if you are entering a GTIN body: the chip beside the input shows the computed digit and appends it in one click.
Open Size & margins to set the module width, bar height and quiet zones — unlink the margins to widen just the left and right sides, which is where most scan failures originate.
Use Text & typography for the caption: switch the font, weight and position, or type a friendly reference into the caption override to print something different from the encoded data.
Set the print resolution and either an export scale or a target width in millimetres — the panel reports the finished pixel size, physical size and narrow-bar width, and warns when the bars fall under the GS1 minimum.
Export a PNG or SVG, copy the image straight to your clipboard, or hit Print to send it to paper at true physical size.
Switch to Batch for volume work: paste one code per line, import a CSV and map its columns, or generate a numbered run, then download a ZIP or lay the codes out on an Avery-style sheet as a PDF.

What the Barcode Generator gets right

Everything runs in your browser through JsBarcode — the SKUs, serial numbers and tracking references you encode are never uploaded, and the batch and PDF exports are assembled locally too.
Validation is specific rather than generic: it names the rule you broke, points at the character the symbology cannot carry, and tells you which check digit was expected instead of the one you typed.
Print guardrails catch the failures that only appear on paper — a narrow bar below the 0.264 mm GS1 floor, a symbol too short for its width, or bar and background colours whose contrast (or inversion) will defeat a laser scanner.
Vector SVG output prints losslessly at any size, while the PNG path rasterises at your chosen scale with an optional transparent background for pre-printed label stock.
Batch mode handles up to 500 codes at once, skips invalid rows with a reason for each, and fits every symbol into its label without distorting the bar ratios.
Style presets and a recent-codes list live in your browser's local storage, so a repeat print run picks up exactly where the last one left off.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between CODE128 and UPC/EAN?

CODE128 is a variable-length symbology that encodes letters, digits, and symbols, which makes it ideal for internal use like asset tags and shipping references. UPC and EAN are fixed-length, digits-only retail standards that identify a product globally (a GTIN) and include a mandatory check digit — you use them when a barcode must scan at a store checkout.

Why does it say my barcode value is invalid?

Each format enforces its own rules, and the message names the one you hit. EAN-13 wants 12 digits plus an automatic check digit or a complete 13; UPC-A wants 11 or 12; ITF and CODE128 C need an even count because they encode digits in pairs; Codabar has to open and close with A, B, C or D. Switch to CODE128 when you simply need to encode arbitrary text.

How do I make barcodes for a whole spreadsheet of products?

Open the Batch tab, click Import CSV, and map the column holding your codes plus an optional caption column. Every row is checked against the selected symbology, invalid ones are listed with the reason, and the rest export as a ZIP of PNGs or SVGs — or straight onto an Avery 5160, 5163, L7160 or L7651 sheet as a print-ready PDF.

What is GS1-128 and when do I need it?

GS1-128 is a CODE128 symbol whose data is a chain of Application Identifiers — (01) for the GTIN, (17) for an expiry date, (10) for a batch, (21) for a serial. It is the standard on shipping cartons and pallets. The builder tab validates each field, inserts the invisible FNC1 separators that variable-length fields need, and prints the bracketed human-readable form beneath the bars.

Will these barcodes actually scan once printed?

They will if the physical geometry is right, which is what the print panel is for. Set the resolution you will print at and the tool reports the narrow-bar width in millimetres, flagging anything under the GS1 minimum of 0.264 mm as well as symbols too short to scan reliably. Keep the quiet zones generous, print dark bars on a light background, and avoid scaling the image afterwards.

Can I print these barcodes for real products?

Yes for internal codes. For retail UPC or EAN barcodes that scan at checkout, the underlying number must be a legitimate GTIN you have been assigned by GS1 — this tool renders the barcode correctly, but it cannot issue you a registered product number.