Quick answer: enter the first 12 digits of your GTIN-13 (the number GS1 or your supplier gave you). The 13th digit, the check digit, is worked out and added automatically. Keep the bar width at 0.33 mm for 100 % size, then download the barcode as PNG, SVG or a vector PDF for your printer.
What the 13 digits mean
An EAN-13 is a GTIN-13 – a Global Trade Item Number – drawn as bars. The digits are not random, and the barcode itself does not contain a price or a product name. The shop's system looks the number up in its own database.
| Part | Example (5 901234 12345 7) | Who decides it |
|---|---|---|
| GS1 prefix | 590 | The GS1 office that issued the number (590 = GS1 Poland). It does not say where the product was made. |
| Company prefix + item reference | 1234 12345 | Your company prefix comes from GS1; you number your own products after it. |
| Check digit | 7 | Calculated from the other 12 digits so a scanner can detect a misread. This tool adds it for you. |
The check digit uses alternating weights of 1 and 3: multiply the digits from the right by 3, 1, 3, 1…, add them up and take the amount needed to reach the next multiple of ten. For 590123412345 the sum is 83, so the check digit is 7.
Where do I get an EAN-13 number?
For products sold in shops or on Amazon, buy a company prefix from your national GS1 organisation (GS1 UK, GS1 Pakistan, GS1 US and so on). Marketplaces check new listings against the GS1 database, and numbers bought from cheap resellers are often rejected because they are registered to another company. For items that never leave your own shop or warehouse you can use the in-store range: numbers starting with 20–29 are reserved for internal use and will never clash with a real product.
Printing EAN-13 at the right size
- 100 % size is 37.29 × 25.93 mm with a bar width (X) of 0.330 mm. The allowed range is 80 % (X 0.264 mm) to 200 % (X 0.660 mm).
- Quiet zones: keep 11 bar widths of white on the left and 7 on the right. The small > sign on the right marks where the quiet zone ends – leave it in.
- Do not shorten the bars (“truncation”). Cutting the height makes the code hard to scan at an angle, and GS1 does not allow it for retail.
- Colours: black or dark blue bars on white work best. Red, orange and yellow bars disappear under a red scanner light.
How to make an EAN-13 barcode
- Enter the product number. Type the 12 digits of your GTIN-13. If you paste all 13 digits, the check digit is verified instead of added.
- Check the size. The default bar width of 0.33 mm gives the standard 100 % size (37.3 × 25.9 mm). Go smaller only if the pack has no room – GS1 allows down to 80 %.
- Look at the scan test. Under the preview you see whether the barcode was read back correctly. A green tick means the number in the bars matches what you typed.
- Download for your printer. Designers usually want SVG or PDF (vector, sharp at any size). For Word or a label printer, PNG at 300 or 600 dpi is easiest.
Add-ons for magazines and books
The optional 2- or 5-digit add-on prints a small extra barcode to the right. Magazines use the 2-digit add-on for the issue number; the 5-digit add-on carries a price on some books. Normal grocery products do not need it – leave the field empty.
EAN-13 or UPC-A?
Both carry the same kind of number. UPC-A is the 12-digit North American version; an EAN-13 that starts with 0 is the same number as a UPC-A without the 0. Scanners in North America have read EAN-13 since 2005, so an EAN-13 works for export there too. Use the UPC-A generator only if a US or Canadian retailer specifically asks for UPC-A.
Frequently asked questions
Is this EAN-13 barcode valid for supermarkets and Amazon?
The barcode itself is drawn to the GS1 specification and is read back to check it. Whether a shop accepts it depends on the number: it must be a GTIN licensed to your company by GS1.
What happens if I type 13 digits?
The last digit is treated as the check digit and verified. If it is wrong you see the correct one, so you can spot a typing mistake before printing.
What is the smallest EAN-13 I can print?
80 % of the standard size, which is a bar width of 0.264 mm (about 29.8 × 20.7 mm). Below that many scanners will struggle.
Which file format should I send to my printer?
SVG or PDF. Both are vector files, so the bars stay perfectly sharp at any size. PNG is fine for labels from an office or thermal printer at 300 dpi or more.
Can I make many EAN-13 barcodes at once?
Yes. Open “Make many barcodes at once”, paste one number per line and download a ZIP of images or a printable PDF label sheet.
Why is there a > sign next to my barcode?
It is the light-margin indicator. It shows how much white space must stay clear on the right. Printers and designers use it as a guide; scanners ignore it.