Free EAN-13 Barcode Generator
EAN-13 is the barcode on retail products almost everywhere outside the US and Canada. Type the 12 digits of your number and the generator adds the check digit, or type all 13 and it checks yours, then download the barcode as a vector for print or a PNG for screens.
12 digits, and the check digit is added, or all 13 to have it checked.
The blank margin left and right of the bars, in modules (the width of the narrowest bar). EAN-13 needs at least 11.
Made in your browser; nothing you type is sent to QRdx. WebP and AVIF are encoded by QRdx's server when you pick them, and nothing is kept.
Where EAN-13 barcodes are used
Products sold in shops and online marketplaces. The 13 digits are a GTIN-13: a GS1 company prefix, an item number and a check digit. The first digits show which GS1 organization issued the prefix, not where the product was made.
Books and magazines use it too: an ISBN starting with 978 or 979 is printed as an EAN-13, and 977 marks an ISSN for periodicals. Numbers starting with 2 are kept for in-store use, such as weighed items priced at the counter.
Do I need GS1 numbers for EAN-13?
For anything sold through a retailer, yes. A GTIN is licensed, not bought outright: you join GS1 (or the GS1 organization in your country), get a company prefix and number your products from it. Large retailers and marketplaces check GTINs against GS1's registry, so numbers resold from someone else's prefix can be rejected.
This generator draws any valid 13-digit number, but it doesn't issue or register numbers. For your own stock, shelves or assets, use Code 128 instead: it needs no registration.
EAN-13 input and check digit
What it takes
12 digits, and the check digit is added, or all 13 to have it checked.
Example
5901234123457Spaces and dashes are ignored, and only digits are allowed. Twelve digits get the check digit added; thirteen have the last one checked, and a wrong check digit shows an error instead of a barcode.
The check digit weighs the digits 3, 1, 3, 1… starting from the right of the 12-digit body, adds them up and picks the digit that brings the sum to the next multiple of 10.
The check digit of 590123412345, worked out
| Digit | 5 | 9 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Weight | ×1 | ×3 | ×1 | ×3 | ×1 | ×3 | ×1 | ×3 | ×1 | ×3 | ×1 | ×3 |
| Product | 5 | 27 | 0 | 3 | 2 | 9 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 9 | 4 | 15 |
The products add up to 83. Adding 7 makes 90, the next multiple of 10, so the check digit is 7.
EAN-13 barcode size
| Example as SVG, PDF or EPS | 45.1 × 27.8 mm |
|---|---|
| Module (narrowest bar) | 0.353 mm |
| Bar height | 23 mm |
| Quiet zone | At least 11 modules each side; the generator starts with 11 |
- At 100% an EAN-13 is 37.29 mm wide (quiet zones included) by 25.93 mm high, with a 0.33 mm module. GS1 allows 80% to 200% for retail.
- The vector downloads use a 0.353 mm module, about 107%. Scale them within the 80% to 200% range and keep the proportions: shortening the bars makes the barcode harder to scan at checkouts.
- Leave 11 modules of blank space on the left and 7 on the right. The generator starts with 11 on both sides.
EAN-13 barcode API
The same barcode is an image URL, with no API key: put it in an img tag, a label template or a product feed. It checks the value the way this page does, and allows 300 requests a minute per IP address. The barcode API docs list every option.
SVG image
https://api.qrdx.dev/v1/barcode?format=ean13&data=5901234123457PNG, 3 pixels per module
https://api.qrdx.dev/v1/barcode?format=ean13&data=5901234123457&type=png&scale=3In a web page
<img src="https://api.qrdx.dev/v1/barcode?format=ean13&data=5901234123457" alt="EAN-13 5901234123457" />EAN-13 barcode FAQ
Can I make up an EAN-13 number?
It will scan, but a store's system won't recognize it and may already use that number for another product. Retail EAN-13 numbers come from a GS1 company prefix. Numbers starting with 2 are the exception: they're meant for use inside one store or company.
What's the difference between EAN-13 and UPC-A?
A UPC-A is a 12-digit number that equals an EAN-13 starting with 0, and checkout scanners read both. US and Canadian retailers often ask for UPC-A; elsewhere EAN-13 is the norm.
Can I make an ISBN barcode?
Yes: an ISBN-13 is an EAN-13. Enter the 13 digits without dashes. The 5-digit price add-on some book trades print beside it isn't drawn here.
Why does my 13-digit number show an error?
Its last digit isn't the check digit the other 12 produce, which usually means a typo. The error says what the check digit should be. Enter only the first 12 digits to have it worked out.
Other barcode types
All 11 barcode typesBarcodes are static: the data is in the bars, so they work offline and never expire. For a link people scan with a phone camera, use one of the QR code generators.