EAN-13 Barcode Generator
Create the 13-digit EAN barcode used on retail products.
How to use the EAN-13 Barcode Generator
- Enter 12 digits (the 13th check digit is added automatically) or a full 13-digit number.
- Download the barcode.
About the EAN-13 Barcode Generator
EAN-13 is the 13-digit retail barcode used on products worldwide. The number breaks down into a prefix identifying the issuing organisation, a company number, an item reference and a final check digit computed from the other twelve — a simple weighted sum that lets a till catch a misread instantly. Enter 12 digits here and the check digit is calculated and appended for you; enter all 13 and it is validated. The US and Canadian UPC-A is 12 digits and is effectively a subset of the same system.
An essential honesty point: the numbers in a retail barcode are assigned by GS1. Generating an EAN-13 image here does not register a product or give you a legitimate GTIN. It draws the bars for a number you already own. If you intend to sell through shops, you must obtain your own GS1 company prefix and allocate numbers from it — otherwise you may print a barcode that collides with somebody else’s product, and retailers will reject it. This tool is for rendering numbers you have been issued, for testing, and for reprinting labels.
Print at a size your retailer accepts, do not stretch it horizontally, keep the bars dark on a plain light background (red bars on a busy background are a classic no-read), and preserve the quiet zones at both ends. It is numeric only — no letters, ever.
Frequently asked questions
Does generating a barcode here register my product?
No, and this matters. GTINs are assigned by GS1. This tool only draws the bars for a number you supply. To sell in shops you need your own GS1 company prefix and numbers allocated from it — an invented number may clash with a real product and will be rejected.
What is the check digit?
The thirteenth digit, calculated from the first twelve using a weighted sum. It lets a scanner detect most misreads immediately. Enter 12 digits and this tool computes it for you.
Why must it be digits only?
EAN-13 is a numeric-only symbology — the encoding has no representation for letters. If you need letters, use Code 128 instead.
What is the difference between EAN-13 and UPC-A?
UPC-A is the 12-digit format used mainly in the US and Canada, and is effectively a subset of EAN-13 — a UPC-A number is an EAN-13 with a leading zero. Modern scanners read both.
My barcode will not scan — why?
Usually printing: bars too small or blurry, the code stretched horizontally, low contrast, or the quiet zones at the ends crowded by other artwork. Print at full size on white and leave the margins clear.