EAN-13 barcode generator
Type 12 digits and we compute the 13th, or paste a full EAN-13 and we check it. The standard retail barcode everywhere outside North America.
Retail products outside North America. 12 digits + check digit.
Rendering…
SVG stays sharp at any size and is best for print. Keep the white margin either side of 1D barcodes (the quiet zone, at least 10× the narrowest bar); cropping it is the most common reason a printed barcode will not scan.
Anatomy of an EAN-13
The first two or three digits are a GS1 prefix (for example 50 for the UK, 400–440 for Germany, 890 for India). It shows which GS1 office issued the company prefix, not where the product was made. Then come your company prefix, the item reference and the check digit. EAN-8 is the short form for packs too small for EAN-13.
Nominal EAN-13 size is 37.29 × 25.93 mm; allowed magnification is 80–200%.
Numbers for retail
A barcode image is only half the job. For retail, the number must come from GS1: you license a company prefix from your national GS1 office and assign product numbers from it. The generator will happily draw any valid number, but supermarkets and marketplaces check the prefix against GS1's registry. See GS1 barcodes explained.
Questions
Is EAN the same as UPC?
Both are GTINs. A UPC-A is a 12-digit GTIN; the same number with a leading zero is a valid EAN-13, and scanners worldwide read both.
What does "incorrect check digit" mean?
The last digit does not match the other twelve. Usually a typo. Enter just the first 12 digits and the tool computes the right one.