Barcode generator
Create retail and industrial barcodes — EAN, UPC, Code 128, Code 39 and more. Generated in your browser, download as PNG or SVG.
All generated locally — no upload, no limit.
Which barcode format for what?
What a barcode is and where it is used
A barcode turns a number or short piece of text into a pattern of bars that a scanner can read in an instant. It is the backbone of retail checkouts, warehouse and inventory systems, shipping labels and asset tracking — anywhere a code needs to be read quickly and without typing. This generator produces the common one-dimensional (linear) barcodes that cover the vast majority of those everyday uses.
Choosing the right barcode format
The format depends on what the code is for. EAN-13 and UPC-A are the retail product codes printed on almost everything you buy, so choose them when a code needs to be scanned at a shop till. Code 128 is compact and can encode letters as well as digits, which makes it the workhorse for shipping, logistics and internal inventory labels. Code 39 is older and less dense but widely supported, and is common in industrial and ID applications.
If you are labelling your own boxes or assets and just need something a standard scanner can read, Code 128 is usually the safest all-round choice. Use EAN or UPC only when you have a genuine product number issued for retail.
Valid codes and automatic check digits
Retail barcodes end in a check digit — an extra number calculated from the others that lets a scanner catch a misread. Get it wrong and the code is invalid and may not scan at all. imagenimble validates your input for the chosen format and calculates the EAN and UPC check digit automatically, so you cannot accidentally ship a broken code. Enter the data digits and the tool completes and verifies the rest.
PNG or SVG, and printing sharp barcodes
Download SVG whenever the barcode is going to print or onto a label: as a vector it stays perfectly crisp at any size, which matters because a fuzzy or scaled-up barcode is exactly what a scanner struggles with. Choose PNG for quick on-screen use or when a system only accepts a raster image. Either way, keep a clear quiet zone — the empty margin on both sides of the bars — and avoid stretching the code, so it scans first time.
Privacy by design
All processing happens inside your browser. Your files never reach a server — there is nothing to store, transmit or share.
Learn more in our privacy policyFrequently asked questions
EAN-13 for European retail, UPC-A for North America, Code 128 for logistics, and Code 39 for industrial or asset labels.
Yes — for EAN and UPC the check digit is validated and computed automatically, and the tool warns you if the data is the wrong length.
Use SVG for print and labels (vector, infinitely sharp); PNG for screens and quick sharing.
No — it generates barcodes. Scanning would need a camera and is a separate kind of tool.
Yes, completely — every code is generated in your browser, so there are no server costs, no sign-up and no limit on how many barcodes you create.
Yes. Enter your values and imagenimble generates the set locally, and you can download them together as a ZIP — handy for labelling a batch of products or boxes.