UPC-AType what to encode
Barcode generator
Type your UPC, EAN, SKU or link and this barcode generator checks it and draws it: download a UPC barcode, EAN, Code 128 or QR code as PNG, SVG or a PDF that prints at its real size.
Good to know
Which barcode to use
| Barcode | For |
|---|---|
| UPC-A | 12 digits. Retail products sold in the US and Canada. |
| EAN-13 | 13 digits. Retail products sold in Europe and most other countries. |
| Code 128 | Letters, digits and symbols, up to 48. Your own SKUs, shelf and box labels, and Amazon FNSKUs. |
| QR code | A link or short text, for inserts, packaging and price tags. |
Where a UPC or EAN number comes from
This tool draws the number you type; it does not make up numbers. A UPC or EAN identifies one product of one brand in GS1’s worldwide system, so a made-up or second-hand number can belong to someone else.
In the US, GS1 US licenses single numbers (GTINs) for a few products and company prefixes for whole product lines. GS1 says its barcodes identify your company as the brand owner, which retailers look for.
Printing barcodes that scan
- Use the PDF for printing: it is drawn with shapes, not pixels, at the size you set under Print size, so every bar stays sharp. 100% is GS1’s standard size for UPC and EAN: a narrowest bar of 0.33 mm, 37.29 mm wide with the white margins.
- UPC and EAN may print from 80% to 200% of that size (GS1); the page doesn’t offer smaller. Code 128 and QR codes may go down to 50%: test a printed one with a scanner first.
- Print at 100% (Actual size), not Fit to page: the print dialog would otherwise resize the barcode.
- The PNG has a resolution (300 or 600 dpi) and the SVG a size in mm, so Word, design and label apps place them at the same size as the PDF.
- Keep the white space on both sides of the bars; scanners need it to find the start and the end.
- Black bars on white paper scan best. Avoid red bars: many scanners read them as white.
- Test one printed label with a phone scanner app before printing a batch.
Sources: GS1 UK: How big should a point-of-sale barcode be?,GS1 Canada: EAN/UPC symbol reference
Questions
What is a check digit?
The last digit of a UPC or EAN, worked out from the others, so a scanner can tell when a number was misread. If you type 11 digits for a UPC-A (or 12 for an EAN-13), the check digit is added for you; if you type the full number, it is checked.
Can I use this for Amazon FNSKU labels?
Yes. An FNSKU is printed as a Code 128 barcode: choose Code 128 and type the FNSKU from Seller Central, such as X00ABCD123.
What size should a UPC barcode be?
GS1’s standard size (100%) has a narrowest bar of 0.33 mm: a UPC-A or EAN-13 is then 37.29 mm (1.47 in) wide with its white margins. It may be printed from 80% to 200%. Set it under Print size; the PDF, PNG and SVG are all that size.
Will my UPC work on Amazon?
We can only check the number itself: its check digit, its length and which GS1 office issued it. Amazon checks product IDs against GS1’s database, so a number that doesn’t match GS1’s record for your product can be treated as invalid. Look a number up on Verified by GS1 to see whose it is.
Can I get a UPC number here?
No. Numbers come from GS1, the organization that runs the UPC and EAN system. We only draw numbers you already have.
Are my numbers uploaded?
No. The barcode is drawn in your browser; your numbers aren’t uploaded.