Code 128 Scanner
Read Code 128 — the dense alphanumeric barcode on parcels, pallets and shipping labels.
Scan a code with your camera, drop in an image, or paste one with Ctrl + V.
How to use the Code 128 Scanner
- Point your camera at the label, drop in a photo, or paste one with Ctrl + V.
- Get the whole length of the barcode in frame — Code 128 is variable-length and often long.
- The decoded value appears with the symbology named, and the raw text one click away.
About the Code 128 Scanner
Code 128 is what the logistics world runs on. Unlike the retail codes, it is not limited to digits: it encodes the full 128-character ASCII set, which is why a courier label can carry a tracking reference like 1Z999AA10123456784 rather than a bare number. It is also unusually compact for a linear barcode, because it has a numeric mode that packs two digits into the space of one character.
You will most often meet it as GS1-128, a constrained profile of Code 128 used on pallets and cases. There the data is not free text but a sequence of application identifiers — a two- to four-digit code saying what follows, then the value. (00) is a serial shipping container code, (01) a product number, (17) an expiry date, (3103) a net weight in grammes. That is how one barcode on a pallet can state what is on it, how much it weighs and when it expires.
Code 128 has no fixed length, which is its strength and its practical weakness: a long value makes a long barcode, and a long barcode is harder to photograph. If a scan fails, the usual cause is that one end of the code is out of frame or the picture was taken at an angle across the bars.
Scan with the camera, an image, or a paste. Everything runs on your device. For the older, sparser alphanumeric symbology see the Code 39 scanner.
Frequently asked questions
What can Code 128 encode?
The full ASCII set — letters, digits, punctuation and control characters — which is why tracking references and serial numbers use it rather than a numeric-only symbology.
What is GS1-128?
A constrained use of Code 128 for supply chains. The data is a series of application identifiers such as (00) for a shipping container code or (17) for an expiry date, each followed by its value.
Why is my Code 128 barcode so long?
Because it is variable-length: more characters means a physically longer barcode. Long codes are harder to photograph, so fill the frame with the barcode and keep the camera square-on.
Is Code 128 better than Code 39?
For most purposes yes — it is denser and covers the full ASCII set, where Code 39 is limited to 43 characters and takes more space per character. Code 39 survives mainly where existing systems require it.