Barcode Generator — Free Online Tool

What a barcode generator does

A barcode encodes a string of numbers or letters into a pattern of bars and spaces that a scanner can read instantly. This tool turns text you type into one of five widely used symbologies and renders it as a crisp image you can print on labels, packaging, shelf tags, or inventory sheets. Because it runs in your browser using the open JsBarcode engine, you can produce as many codes as you need for free, with no watermark and nothing sent to a server.

How it works

When you enter a value and pick a format, the generator validates the input against that symbology and draws the bars onto a canvas at the width and height you choose. CODE128 accepts the full set of letters, digits, and symbols and is the best general choice. EAN-13 and UPC are the retail product codes printed on consumer goods and require a fixed number of digits. CODE39 is common in logistics and supports uppercase letters and digits, while ITF-14 encodes the 14-digit shipping container codes used on cartons.

Choosing the right symbology

Pick CODE128 when you need a compact, flexible code for an asset tag, ticket, or internal reference. Use EAN-13 for products sold through European and international retail, and UPC for North American retail, since those are the formats checkout scanners expect. Choose CODE39 when a partner system specifies it, and ITF-14 for outer shipping cases. Matching the symbology to the place the code will be scanned is the single most important step, because a scanner configured for retail codes may ignore an unexpected format.

Printing and scanning tips

For reliable scanning, keep a clear quiet zone of empty space on both sides of the bars, print at the largest size your label allows, and avoid stretching the image after export because uneven bar widths confuse readers. Black bars on a plain white background give the highest contrast. Increasing the height makes the code easier to scan at an angle, which helps on curved surfaces like bottles.

Privacy and device support

Everything is generated locally, so the value you encode never leaves your computer, which matters when the data is a confidential serial number or internal code. The tool works in Chrome, Firefox, Safari, and Edge on desktop and mobile with no install, and the responsive layout keeps the format menu and size controls usable on a 375 pixel screen. The PNG export downloads instantly and can be dropped into a label template or document.

1D barcodes versus QR codes

The five formats here are all 1D, or linear, barcodes that store data in the widths of vertical bars and are read with a single sweep of a laser or camera. They are ideal for short numeric or alphanumeric values like product codes and asset tags. A QR code is a 2D matrix that holds far more data, including URLs and contact details, and is read by a camera from any angle. If you only need to encode a product number or reference, a 1D barcode prints smaller and scans faster; reach for a QR code when you need to embed a link or a large block of text.

Sizing barcodes for reliable scans

Scan reliability depends mostly on size, contrast, and quiet zones. Make the barcode as large as the label allows, since wider bars are easier for a scanner to resolve, and never stretch the image unevenly after export because that distorts the ratio of the bars. Keep at least a few millimeters of empty white space, called the quiet zone, on the left and right of the code. Increasing the height does not add data but lets the scanner catch the code even when the beam crosses at a slight angle, which is helpful on boxes and curved bottles.

How To Use Barcode Generator

1. Open the Barcode Generator in your browser.
2. Type the text or number you want to encode.
3. Choose one of the five barcode formats.
4. Adjust the width and height to suit your label.
5. Download the barcode as a PNG image.

Label inventory items

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