UtilityKit

500+ fast, free tools. Most run in your browser only; Image & PDF tools upload files to the backend when you run them.

Barcode Generator

Generate real, scannable production barcodes — Code 128, EAN-13, UPC-A, Code 39, ITF-14, EAN-8, and QR — for products, assets, and shipping.

About Barcode Generator

Barcode Generator on UtilityKit produces real, scannable production barcodes you can attach to actual products, inventory bins, library books, asset tags, shipping cartons, or service tickets. This is different from our Sample Barcode Generator (which makes test data for QA work) — here every barcode you generate is structurally valid in the symbology you pick, includes the correct check digit (auto-computed for EAN-13, UPC-A, EAN-8, ITF-14), and can be printed on labels or laser-etched onto a part without modification. Seven symbologies are supported: Code 128 for general-purpose alphanumeric labels, EAN-13 for retail products, UPC-A for North American grocery, Code 39 for industrial and military asset tags, ITF-14 for shipping cartons, EAN-8 for small packaging, and QR for 2D codes carrying URLs or larger payloads.

Why use Barcode Generator

Real, production-ready output

check digits are auto-computed for EAN-13, UPC-A, EAN-8 and ITF-14 so the codes pass GS1 validation on first scan.

Seven symbologies in one tool

switch between retail (EAN/UPC), industrial (Code 39), shipping (ITF-14), generic (Code 128) and 2D (QR) without learning a new app for each.

Vector SVG export feeds

Vector SVG export feeds directly into Avery, Dymo, Brother and Zebra label-design software at any DPI — no quality loss when rescaling.

Runs entirely in your browser

SKUs, asset tags and serial numbers never touch a server, important for confidential product launches and pre-release inventory.

Custom colours and dimensions

Custom colours and dimensions let you match brand label stock without dropping into Illustrator — change foreground hex once and re-export.

Clear per-format help text prevents the most common error

passing the wrong character count or character set for the chosen symbology.

How to use Barcode Generator

Choose a symbology from the Format dropdown — Code 128 is the safest default if you do not know which standard your scanner expects.
Type the value to encode in the Value field. The help line under the dropdown tells you exactly what is allowed (digits-only counts, character set, etc.) for the selected format.
Adjust Bar Width (1 to 6) and Height (20 to 240 px) to match your label stock and scanner-distance budget — 2 wide × 100 high is a good general default.
Pick foreground and background colours — black on white scans most reliably; coloured codes work but reduce scanner contrast headroom.
Toggle 'Show readable text under barcode' — keep it on for human-readable labels, turn it off for compact thermal-printer formats.
Click Generate, verify the rendered code on screen, then download as SVG (vector for label printers) or PNG (rasterised image).

When to use Barcode Generator

Printing SKU labels for a small online store before shipping product to a fulfilment warehouse that requires barcode tags.
Generating asset tags for laptops, monitors, and lab equipment in an internal IT inventory system using Code 39 or Code 128.
Preparing ITF-14 carton labels for a shipment going into a major retailer's distribution centre.
Building EAN-13 retail barcodes for new product SKUs after a manufacturer registers a GS1 prefix.
Creating QR labels that link to product manuals, warranty pages, or instruction videos for printed packaging.
Producing library, archive, or rental shop labels where Code 39 is the norm and the value contains a mix of letters and numbers.

Examples

Retail EAN-13 product barcode

Input: Format: EAN-13 | Value: 012345678901 | Bar width: 2 | Height: 100 px | Show label: yes

Output: A 13-digit EAN-13 barcode 0123456789012 (with auto-computed check digit '2') exported as SVG. Drops directly into Avery label software for a 1,000-unit retail print run.

Code 39 IT asset tag

Input: Format: Code 39 | Value: LAPTOP-2026-A4 | Bar width: 1.5 | Height: 60 px | Show label: yes

Output: Code 39 barcode encoding LAPTOP-2026-A4 with the human-readable value below the bars. Export as PNG for thermal printer labels glued to the underside of office laptops.

ITF-14 shipping carton

Input: Format: ITF-14 | Value: 0123456789012 | Bar width: 3 | Height: 150 px | Show label: yes

Output: Standard ITF-14 carton barcode with 14th digit auto-calculated. Vector SVG sized to 100 × 30 mm for direct print on corrugated cartons going to a retail distribution centre.

Tips

If you are unsure which symbology your retailer or scanner expects, ask first — the wrong format will simply not scan, even if the value is correct.
Print a test label and scan it with at least two devices (a phone camera plus a 1D laser scanner) before committing to a print run of thousands.
Keep at least a 2 mm quiet zone (white space) on the left and right of every linear barcode — cropping the quiet zone is the most common scan failure cause.
For thermal label printers, export SVG and import into the printer's label software — the printer will convert to its native bitmap at the correct DPI for crisp bars.
When generating QR codes that include a URL, use a URL shortener first — shorter URLs produce smaller, denser-error-corrected QR codes that scan reliably from a distance.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between this tool and the Sample Barcode Generator?▾

The Sample Barcode Generator creates test/dummy data for QA, screenshots, and demo apps — values are random, intended to look real but not to map to anything. This Barcode Generator is for real production codes you control: you supply the SKU, asset tag, GTIN or carton number and the tool encodes it precisely, with correct check digits, ready to print and scan.

Which barcode format should I choose for my product?▾

Code 128 is the safest general default — it accepts any printable ASCII and produces compact codes. Use EAN-13 for retail products with a registered GS1 prefix, UPC-A for North American grocery, Code 39 for industrial and military asset tags, ITF-14 for shipping cartons, EAN-8 for very small packaging, and QR when you need to encode a URL or large payload.

Does the tool calculate the check digit for EAN and UPC?▾

Yes. JsBarcode auto-calculates the check digit for EAN-13, EAN-8, UPC-A and ITF-14. You provide the leading digits (12, 7, 11 or 13 respectively) and the tool appends the correct trailing digit so the code passes GS1 validation.

Can I use this barcode for retail without a GS1 license?▾

Technically you can generate any EAN/UPC value, but selling a product through major retailers requires a registered GS1 company prefix. Without one, your barcode may collide with a registered SKU. For internal asset tracking or non-retail use, Code 128 or Code 39 are unrestricted.

Why does my Code 39 input get rejected?▾

Code 39 only accepts uppercase A-Z, digits 0-9, space, and the symbols - . $ / + %. Lowercase letters and punctuation outside that set are invalid. Either uppercase your input or switch to Code 128, which accepts the full ASCII range.

Should I download SVG or PNG?▾

SVG is preferred for label printers and design software because it scales to any size without pixelation and contains crisp vector paths. PNG is fine for web previews, slide decks, and inkjet/laser printing at the exact size you choose. For thermal label printers (Zebra, Dymo) always use SVG.

What error correction level does the QR option use?▾

QR codes generated here use Level M (15% damage tolerance) by default, which is appropriate for clean digital and well-printed scenarios. For codes that will be printed on materials that may get folded, dirty, or damaged, generate at Level H using our QR Generator for higher robustness.

Are coloured barcodes always scannable?▾

Most modern scanners require strong contrast between bars and background. Black on white is universally safe. Dark navy on cream or dark green on white usually works. Avoid red on yellow, light grey on white, or any combination where the luminance difference is below ~50% — laser scanners may fail to read these reliably.

Explore the category

Glossary

Symbology: The specific barcode standard or 'language' that defines how characters are encoded as bars and spaces. Code 128, EAN-13, and QR are different symbologies; a scanner must support a symbology to read it.
Check digit: The trailing digit on EAN, UPC and ITF codes that mathematically validates the rest of the value. If a scanner reads an inconsistent value, the check digit catches the error and the read is rejected.
GS1 prefix: A company-specific number range, licensed from GS1, that identifies the manufacturer in EAN-13 and UPC-A retail barcodes. Registered prefixes prevent SKU collisions across retailers.
Quiet zone: The blank margin on either side of a 1D barcode (and around all sides of a QR code). Most scanners require at least 10 module-widths of quiet zone to lock onto the code.
Module: The thinnest unit of width in a barcode. Bar widths and spacings are integer multiples of the module. The 'Bar width' setting controls module size in pixels.
GTIN: Global Trade Item Number — the umbrella term for retail product identifiers including EAN-13, UPC-A, EAN-8 and ITF-14. A GTIN uniquely identifies a product worldwide.