Barcode Generator
Generate EAN-13, Code 128, UPC-A and other barcodes. Download as PNG or SVG. Free.
In short
A barcode generator converts a number or text into a scannable linear barcode. This tool produces EAN-13, EAN-8, UPC-A, Code 128, Code 39 and ITF-14 barcodes in your browser, calculates check digits automatically, shows human-readable text under the bars and downloads a PNG for product labels, cartons and internal stock tags. It is free and needs no sign-in.
Enter 12 digits; the check digit is added automatically. Indian EANs start with 890.
Which type should I use?
EAN-13 for retail products sold in shops (needs a GS1 India prefix), Code 128 for internal SKUs, ITF-14 for outer cartons.
Can I invent EAN numbers?
For internal use, yes. To sell through retailers or online marketplaces, register with GS1 India to get an official 890 prefix.
About the barcode generator tool
A barcode is a machine-readable strip that a scanner turns into a product number or SKU in a fraction of a second. Retail products in India carry EAN-13 barcodes beginning with 890, the GS1 India prefix, so supermarket and marketplace systems can identify them. Businesses that sell only through their own shop or warehouse often use Code 128 with their own SKU numbers, which any scanner or billing software reads without registration.
Drawing barcodes in Excel fonts or free image sites often produces codes that fail at the checkout: wrong check digits, bars too thin, missing quiet zones, or Code 39 used where a scanner expects EAN. Reprinting thousands of labels is expensive. This tool validates the input for each symbology, adds the check digit for EAN and UPC, renders bars at the right proportions with a white margin, and lets you add custom text beneath. Download the PNG and drop it into a label design or a packaging artwork.
For printing many labels at once, the Product Labels tool takes your saved items, prints name, price, MRP and a barcode from the SKU or EAN on A4 sheets, and the stock tools track those same items as invoices and purchase bills move them.
How to generate a barcode
- 1
Choose the barcode type
Select from Barcode type: EAN-13 for retail products, EAN-8 for small packs, UPC-A for North American retail, Code 128 for internal SKUs, Code 39 for simple alphanumeric tags, or ITF-14 for outer cartons.
- 2
Enter the data
Type the number or text in Data. For EAN-13 enter 12 digits and the check digit is added automatically; Indian retail EANs start with 890. Code 128 accepts any text.
- 3
Set the text under the bars
Use Text under barcode to override the printed digits, for example to show a product name instead of the raw number. Leave blank to print the data itself.
- 4
Check for errors
If the data does not fit the chosen type, an error message explains why, such as the wrong number of digits or invalid characters for Code 39.
- 5
Download PNG
Click Download PNG to save the barcode image, then place it on your label or packaging design. Test-scan a printed sample before a full print run.
Barcode types and when to use them
- EAN-13: 13 digits, the retail standard in India and worldwide; the first 3 digits 890 identify GS1 India
- EAN-8: 8 digits for very small packs like chewing gum or cosmetics where EAN-13 will not fit
- UPC-A: 12 digits, the North American retail standard; most Indian scanners read it as well
- Code 128: any letters, numbers and symbols; compact and ideal for internal SKUs, bin locations and order numbers
- Code 39: upper-case letters and digits; older but readable by every scanner, used for asset tags
- ITF-14: 14 digits for shipping cartons, printed with a thick bearer bar so it scans on corrugated board
- GS1 India registration is needed for EAN codes sold through retailers or marketplaces; internal codes need none
- Print at 100% scale with a quiet zone of at least 2.5 mm on either side and bars in black on white
Who uses the barcode generator
Kirana and supermarket owners
Generate Code 128 barcodes for loose items and house brands so they scan at the billing counter alongside branded products with EAN-13.
D2C brands going into retail
After registering with GS1 India, generate the EAN-13 for each SKU and hand the PNG to the packaging designer. Marketplaces like Amazon and Flipkart accept the same code.
Warehouses and godowns
Print Code 128 labels for rack and bin locations, and ITF-14 codes on cartons so pickers scan rather than read.
Pharmacies and clinics
Tag internally repacked or compounded items with Code 128 batch labels that link to the batch and expiry in your stock sheet.
Barcode Generator: frequently asked questions
- Do I need GS1 India registration to use barcodes?
- Only if the products are sold through other retailers or marketplaces that look up the code in the GS1 database. GS1 India issues company prefixes starting with 890 for an annual fee. For your own shop or warehouse, invent Code 128 or EAN numbers and map them in your billing software; nobody else needs to recognise them.
- What is the check digit in an EAN-13 barcode?
- The 13th digit is calculated from the first 12 using a weighted sum (alternating weights of 1 and 3) and lets scanners detect misreads. This tool computes it for you, so enter 12 digits and the full 13-digit code appears under the bars. Entering all 13 digits with a wrong check digit produces an error.
- Which barcode type should I use for my own shop SKUs?
- Code 128. It encodes letters and numbers, produces compact bars, and every scanner and billing app reads it. Use a consistent pattern such as SHOP-0001 or a 6-digit number, keep a list in your saved items with the SKU field, and the Product Labels tool will print them in bulk.
- Why does my printed barcode not scan?
- Common causes are printing with fit-to-page scaling that changes bar widths, printing too small, low-resolution images, coloured or glossy backgrounds, and no white margin around the bars. Print at 100% scale, at least 25 mm wide for EAN-13, in black on matte white, and test with your actual scanner.
- Can I download the barcode as SVG?
- The barcode generator currently downloads PNG only, rendered at a high pixel density that prints sharply up to label and packaging sizes. The QR tools offer SVG. If your packaging vendor insists on a vector file, ask them to place the high-resolution PNG at 100% scale.
- What is ITF-14 and when do I need it?
- ITF-14 is a 14-digit interleaved 2 of 5 barcode used on outer shipping cartons. It contains the EAN-13 of the product inside with an added packaging indicator digit, and prints with thick bearer bars that help scanners read it on corrugated board. Distributors and modern-trade warehouses ask for it on case packs.
Guides from the blog
HSN and SAC codes explained: structure, how many digits to print and how to find yours
What HSN and SAC codes are, how the 8 digits are built, the 4 or 6 digit rule by turnover, how to find the right code, the HSN summary in GSTR-1 and errors to avoid.
Read the guide →