Barcode & QR Code Generator for Packaging
Make EAN-13, UPC-A, EAN-8 and UPC-E barcodes and QR codes at their true print size. Check digits are worked out for you, and the generator warns about sizes and colours that checkout scanners or phones struggle with. Download a PNG for free, or a vector SVG with a free account.
25.00 × 25.00 mm (0.98 × 0.98 in), quiet zone included · squares 0.76 mm
Enter your content to create your code.
Free account
PNG is free for everyone and records its print size. SVG is vector, so it stays sharp at any size and is what printers prefer; it needs a free account. Codes are made in your browser and never sent to us.
Put it on your boxIn the studio, click Code in the design panel to place it on your dieline.Which Code Do You Need?
EAN-13
37.29 × 25.93 mm at 100%
The retail barcode used worldwide: 13 digits, the first two or three of which come from your GS1 country office. Use it unless your retailers ask for UPC.
UPC-A
37.29 × 25.93 mm at 100%
The 12-digit retail barcode used in the US and Canada. Scanners everywhere read it, as an EAN-13 that starts with 0.
EAN-8
26.73 × 21.31 mm at 100%
A shorter barcode for packs too small for EAN-13, such as lip balm or sample sachets. GS1 issues EAN-8 numbers separately.
UPC-E
22.11 × 25.93 mm at 100%
A zero-suppressed UPC-A for small packs. Only some UPC-A numbers can be shortened; enter yours and the generator checks.
EAN-2 / EAN-5 add-ons
Placed to the right of the barcode
A small second barcode for magazine issue numbers (2 digits) or book prices (5 digits), as used on ISBN barcodes.
QR code
20 mm or more, margin included
Links to your website, a product page, Wi-Fi details, an email address or a phone number. Phones open them with the camera app.
Getting Barcodes Right on a Box
- Keep the quiet zone clear: the blank margin either side of the bars is part of the barcode. Nothing, including text and artwork, should cross it. The generator’s background covers it for you.
- Stay off folds and edges: put the code on one flat panel, at least 3 mm from cuts and creases, usually the back or bottom of the box. Our bleed and safe zone guide explains why.
- Scale, don’t squash: keep retail barcodes between 80% and 200%, and never shorten the bars to save space.
- Print in one ink: black bars should be 100% K, not a mix of four inks, so a slight misregistration cannot blur them. DielineKit’s print PDF does this automatically.
- Test before the run: scan a printed proof with a phone and, for retail barcodes, ask your printer to check it with a barcode verifier.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the barcode generator free?+
Yes. Making barcodes and QR codes and downloading them as PNG is free, with no sign-up. The vector SVG download, which printers and packaging designers prefer, needs a free DielineKit account.
Can I get a UPC or EAN number here?+
No. Retail barcode numbers are licensed to brands by GS1, the standards body behind UPC and EAN. Once you have a number, this tool draws a correct barcode for it. Stores and marketplaces check numbers against GS1’s registry, so made-up or resold numbers are often rejected.
What size should a barcode be on packaging?+
At 100% (the GS1 standard size), an EAN-13 or UPC-A is about 37.29 × 25.93 mm including its quiet zones. Retail scanners are built for 80% to 200% of that size. Do not shorten the bars to make it fit; scale the whole barcode instead.
What colours can a barcode be?+
Dark bars on a light background. Checkout scanners read with red light, so red, orange and yellow bars disappear, and dark, blue or green backgrounds look like bars. Black, dark blue, dark green or dark brown bars on white, yellow or a light colour all work. The generator checks your colours as you choose them.
Should I download PNG or SVG?+
For print, SVG: it is vector, so the bars stay perfectly sharp at any size. The PNG has whole-pixel bars and records its print size (DPI), so it places at the right size in most design apps; choose 600 DPI or more for print.
Do these QR codes expire or track scans?+
No. They are static QR codes: the link or text is stored in the code itself, not routed through our servers, so they never expire and nothing is tracked. To change where a printed code goes, link it to a page you control.
What is a GS1 Digital Link QR code?+
A QR code holding a web address with your product’s GTIN in a standard format, such as https://id.gs1.org/01/09506000134352. Phones open it as a web page, and checkout scanners that read 2D barcodes can use it in place of the regular barcode. US retail aims to accept these at checkout by the end of 2027 (GS1 Sunrise 2027).
Can I put the barcode straight onto my box design?+
Yes. In the DielineKit studio, click Code in the design panel to add a barcode or QR code to your dieline. The studio warns if it crosses a fold, sits on a hidden flap, or is too small, and the print PDF keeps it as vector artwork in 100% black.
Design the whole box, barcode included
Generate an exact dieline, place your barcode and QR code on the right panel, check it live, and export a print-ready PDF.