Dark bars on a light background scan best. Avoid red bars: many laser scanners can't see red.
Bar width
Bar height
Quiet zone (margin)
Label font size
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A barcode that scans on screen doesn't always scan on a box. These choices make the difference.
| Format | Use it for |
|---|---|
| UPC-A | Retail in the US and Canada |
| EAN-13 | Retail outside North America |
| EAN-8 | Very small retail products |
| Code 128 | Shipping, logistics, internal SKUs |
| Code 39 | Industrial and inventory labels |
| ITF-14 | Shipping cartons and outer cases |
Selling in stores? Retail barcodes need a product number registered through GS1. This tool builds and checks the barcode, but doesn't issue numbers.
A barcode is a machine-readable pattern of bars and spaces that encodes a short string of data, usually a product number, a shipping reference or an internal SKU. A scanner reads the pattern and looks up the matching record. The barcode itself doesn't store the price or product name; it points to it.
The standard 12-digit barcode used at retail checkout across the United States and Canada: an 11-digit product number plus a check digit calculated with the GS1 algorithm. If you sell a physical product in US or Canadian stores, this is very likely the format you need, and the product number typically comes from GS1 US.
EAN-13 is the international equivalent of UPC-A: 12 data digits plus a check digit, and most US scanners read it too. EAN-8 is a compact 8-digit version for products too small for a full-size barcode, such as small cosmetics.
Both encode letters and numbers. Code 128 is denser and supports the full ASCII set, making it the better default for shipping labels and internal SKUs. Code 39 is older and less compact but still required by some industrial, government and healthcare systems.
A 14-digit barcode for cartons and outer cases, the box that holds multiple retail units. It's read by warehouse scanners, usually printed larger with thicker bars, and often printed straight onto corrugated board. Place it on at least two adjacent sides of the carton.
If you already have a UPC assigned to your product, use UPC-A. If you sell internationally or want the widest compatibility, EAN-13 is usually the safer default. An EAN-13 is essentially a UPC-A with an extra leading digit, and most modern point-of-sale systems handle both.
The most common causes, roughly in order: low contrast or a busy background; scaling too small or stretching it; a crowded quiet zone; a wrong check digit (this tool calculates it for you); ink bleed or low print resolution; physical damage such as creases or scuffs; or a scanner that isn't set up to read that format.
A short product or shipping number for checkout and logistics scanners. Required by retailers and carriers.
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