UPC Barcode Generator
UPC-A is the 12-digit barcode on products sold in the United States and Canada. Enter the 11 digits of your number and the tool adds the check digit and draws the standard retail layout.
11 digits (check digit is computed) or all 12 (verified).
Size & options
Need a code that people scan with a phone?
Barcodes are for tills and warehouse scanners. For links, menus and posters, make a free QR code instead - or a dynamic one you can edit after printing.
SVG for print, PNG for screens. Free, no watermark, nothing uploaded.
Need a different type? All barcode types
The anatomy of a UPC
Twelve digits. The first is the number system: 0, 1, 6, 7 and 8 for ordinary products, 2 for variable-weight items priced at the shelf, 3 for pharmaceuticals, 5 for coupons. Then a company prefix of six to nine digits assigned by GS1 US, an item reference, and the check digit. In the printed layout the first and last digits sit outside the bars, which is why a UPC looks different from an EAN-13 even though the bar pattern is the same code with a leading zero.
Size, quiet zones and the checkout scanner
Nominal size is 1.469 by 1.02 inches (37.29 by 25.93 mm) at an X dimension of 0.013 inches (0.33 mm), with the same 80% to 200% magnification window as EAN. Quiet zones of nine X on each side are part of the symbol; crowding them is the single most common reason a UPC fails at the register. Print dark on light and leave the height alone where you can - a truncated UPC scans on a handheld but frustrates omnidirectional flatbed scanners at checkouts, which rely on the height to catch the code at an angle.
UPC-A and EAN-13 are the same code
Every UPC-A is an EAN-13 beginning with 0. US retailers have read 13-digit EANs since the 2005 GS1 'Sunrise' deadline, and European retailers read UPCs. If you sell on both continents you do not need two numbers. What you do need is a licensed number: marketplaces verify the GTIN against GS1's registry, and a number bought from a reseller of old UPC blocks will often fail that check.
Other barcode types
- Free Barcode Generator - Type the number or text, pick the symbology, download a print-ready SVG or PNG.
- Code 128 Barcode Generator - Code 128 is the workhorse of logistics and inventory: any ASCII text, compact digits, a built-in check symbol, and readable by every scanner.
- EAN-13 Barcode Generator - EAN-13 is the barcode on nearly every product sold outside North America, and scanners everywhere read it.
- Code 39 Barcode Generator - Code 39 is the older alphanumeric barcode still required by badge systems, automotive and defence specs.
- Data Matrix Code Generator - Data Matrix is the tiny 2D code on electronics, medical devices and machined parts.
- ITF-14 Barcode Generator - ITF-14 is the barcode on cases and cartons: a 14-digit GTIN in interleaved 2 of 5, framed by thick bearer bars so it prints reliably on corrugated board..
FAQ
Where do I get a UPC number?
From GS1 US, either a single GTIN or a company prefix for a range of products. This generator turns any 11 or 12 digits into a valid symbol, but only a GS1-licensed number is guaranteed unique in retail systems.
Why does my UPC start with 0 when I enter 11 digits?
It does not - the tool encodes exactly the 11 digits you enter plus a check digit. If you see a leading 0 elsewhere, that is the same number written as an EAN-13.
Does it do UPC-E?
Not yet. UPC-E is the compressed 8-digit form for tiny packages, and it can only be made from numbers that fit the zero-suppression rules. Use EAN-8 if you need a short retail code and have a GS1 EAN-8 allocation.