Free UPC-A Barcode Generator
UPC-A is the 12-digit retail barcode of the US and Canada. Type the first 11 digits and the generator adds the check digit, or type all 12 to have it checked, then download a vector for your packaging or a PNG for an online listing.
11 digits, and the check digit is added, or all 12 to have it checked.
The blank margin left and right of the bars, in modules (the width of the narrowest bar). UPC-A needs at least 9.
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 UPC-A barcodes are used
Products sold in US and Canadian stores and on marketplaces that ask for a UPC. The number is a GTIN-12: a GS1 company prefix, an item number and a check digit.
The first digit says what kind of number it is: 2 is kept for weighed items priced in the store, and 3 for medicines that carry a US National Drug Code. Since 2005, checkout systems in the US and Canada read EAN-13 too, but many retailers still ask for UPC-A.
Do I need GS1 numbers for UPC-A?
For retail, 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. In the US, that's GS1 US.
This generator draws any valid number; it doesn't issue or register them.
UPC-A input and check digit
What it takes
11 digits, and the check digit is added, or all 12 to have it checked.
Example
036000291452Digits only; spaces and dashes are ignored. Eleven digits get the check digit added, twelve have it checked.
The check digit triples the digits in odd positions (1st, 3rd, 5th… of the 11), adds the rest and picks the digit that brings the total to the next multiple of 10. It's the same rule as EAN-13, so a UPC-A with a 0 in front is a valid EAN-13.
The check digit of 03600029145, worked out
| Digit | 0 | 3 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 9 | 1 | 4 | 5 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Weight | ×3 | ×1 | ×3 | ×1 | ×3 | ×1 | ×3 | ×1 | ×3 | ×1 | ×3 |
| Product | 0 | 3 | 18 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 9 | 3 | 4 | 15 |
The products add up to 58. Adding 2 makes 60, the next multiple of 10, so the check digit is 2.
UPC-A barcode size
| Example as SVG, PDF or EPS | 47.2 × 27.8 mm |
|---|---|
| Module (narrowest bar) | 0.353 mm |
| Bar height | 23 mm |
| Quiet zone | At least 9 modules each side; the generator starts with 11 |
- At 100% a UPC-A is 37.29 mm wide with its quiet zones and a 0.33 mm module; GS1 allows 80% to 200%.
- The vector downloads use a 0.353 mm module, about 107%. Keep the proportions when you scale, and don't shorten the bars to fit a small pack: use UPC-E if the product qualifies.
- Keep at least 9 modules clear on each side. The generator starts with 11.
UPC-A 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=upca&data=036000291452PNG, 3 pixels per module
https://api.qrdx.dev/v1/barcode?format=upca&data=036000291452&type=png&scale=3In a web page
<img src="https://api.qrdx.dev/v1/barcode?format=upca&data=036000291452" alt="UPC-A 036000291452" />UPC-A barcode FAQ
Is a UPC the same as a GTIN?
The number in a UPC-A barcode is a GTIN-12. Written with two leading zeros it's the GTIN-14 that some product feeds ask for.
My scanner reads 13 digits from a UPC-A. Is that wrong?
No. Many readers report a UPC-A as the 13-digit EAN with a 0 in front. The scan check on this page accepts both.
Can I turn my UPC-A into a smaller UPC-E?
Only if the number has zeros in the right places. Open the UPC-E generator and enter the 12-digit UPC-A: it tells you whether yours can be shortened.
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.