UPC Barcode Generator
Turn your UPC number into a UPC-A barcode for product packaging and labels. Type the 12 digits, or the first 11 and let the tool add the check digit, then download a PNG or SVG.
1. Barcode type and content
Check digit 2 added. Full number: 036000291452
Type 11 digits and the check digit is added, or all 12 digits to have it checked.
2. Size and text
Width of the thinnest bar. Raise it for a larger, sharper PNG.
3. Colors
Loading the barcode maker…
Print a test copy and scan it before you print a full batch.
What is a UPC barcode?
UPC stands for Universal Product Code. It is the 12 digit barcode on almost every product sold in stores in the United States and Canada. The full name of the common version is UPC-A.
The first product scanned at a store checkout with a UPC was a pack of chewing gum, at a supermarket in Troy, Ohio, in June 1974.
Why use our UPC barcode generator
- ·Catches typos. A wrong digit in a UPC means the product will not ring up. The tool checks the check digit before you print.
- ·Standard layout. Guard bars, the small outside digits, and the two groups of five are drawn the way store scanners and shoppers expect.
- ·Free files. Download as many UPC barcodes as you need, with no account and no watermark.
- ·Private. Product numbers for unreleased items stay on your device.
How to make a UPC barcode
- 1
Type your UPC number
Enter the first 11 digits and the check digit is added, or all 12 digits and the tool checks the last one. Spaces between the digit groups are fine.
- 2
Check the full number
The line under the box shows the full 12 digit number. Compare it with the number GS1 gave you before you go on.
- 3
Set the size
Raise the bar width for a larger PNG. Keep the text on, since a UPC normally shows its digits under the bars, and keep the bars black on white.
- 4
Download the UPC barcode
Use the SVG for packaging and print design, or the PNG for label software. Scan a printed sample before a full print run.
How to read the numbers on a UPC barcode
Take the UPC 0 36000 29145 2. It is printed in three parts:
- ·0 (small, on the left). The number system digit, which says what kind of number it is.
- ·36000 29145 (under the bars). The company prefix GS1 gave the brand, followed by the brand's own number for this product. The split between the two depends on the length of the company's prefix, so it is not always five and five.
- ·2 (small, on the right). The check digit, worked out from the other 11 so scanners can catch a bad read.
What the first digit of a UPC means
| First digit | Used for |
|---|---|
| 0, 1, 6, 7, 8, 9 | Regular products. Most UPC numbers you license from GS1 US start with one of these. |
| 2 | Items sold by weight and marked in the store, such as meat. The store prints these itself. |
| 3 | Medicines and health products. The middle digits often hold the National Drug Code (NDC). |
| 4 | Set aside for use inside a store, such as loyalty cards and store coupons. Not unique outside that store. |
| 5 | Coupons. US coupons have since moved to a different barcode (GS1 DataBar). |
Where UPC numbers come from
A barcode image is free to make, but the number inside it has to be unique to your product. GS1 US issues UPC numbers in two ways: a single number for one product, or a company prefix that lets you number many products yourself. A longer list of products needs a shorter prefix, since that leaves more digits for your own item numbers.
Be careful with very cheap UPC numbers sold online. They may be numbers first issued to another company, so they will not show your brand when Amazon checks them against the GS1 database. If you sell outside the US and Canada, you may want an EAN-13 barcode from your local GS1 office instead, although a UPC-A scans there as well.
Who makes UPC barcodes
- ·New product brands. You licensed UPC numbers from GS1 US and now need a barcode file for each product to send to your packaging designer.
- ·Amazon sellers. Amazon asks for a UPC or other GTIN when you add a new product in many categories, unless you get an exemption. Turn your numbers into barcode images for packaging, inserts, and hang tags.
- ·Craft and food makers. Selling to a local store or grocery chain often means adding a UPC to labels you design and print yourself.
- ·Distributors and repackers. Reprint a damaged or missing UPC label from the number in your product records.
UPC barcode FAQ
- How many digits are in a UPC code?
- A UPC-A code has 12 digits. The last one is a check digit worked out from the first 11. There is also a short 8 digit version called UPC-E for small packages.
- How do I get a UPC number for my product?
- License it from GS1 US, the organization that runs UPC numbers in the United States. In Canada, it comes from GS1 Canada. This tool turns the number into a barcode image. It does not issue numbers.
- Do I need a new UPC if I change the price?
- Not if the price only lives in the store's system, since the price is not stored in the barcode. But if the price is printed on the package, GS1 rules say that adding, changing, or removing it needs a new UPC.
- Can I use the same UPC for different sizes or colors?
- No. Each version of a product that a store sells separately, such as a different size, color, flavor, or pack count, needs its own UPC.
- Will a UPC barcode scan outside the US?
- Yes. GS1 says UPC-A barcodes are accepted worldwide. Outside North America, a UPC-A is read as a 13 digit EAN-13 number that starts with 0.
- Why are the first and last digits printed smaller?
- They sit outside the bars, next to the guard bars at each end. The first digit is the number system digit and the last is the check digit. The other 10 digits are printed in two groups of 5 under the bars.
- How big should a UPC barcode be?
- At standard (100%) size, a UPC-A barcode is about 1.47 inches wide including its blank margins, and about 1.02 inches tall, with the thinnest bar 0.33 mm wide. Retail standards allow 80% to 200% of that size. GS1 says to avoid cutting the bars shorter, because short bars only scan when the product is held at certain angles.
- Is my UPC number uploaded?
- No. The barcode is drawn in your browser, and the number you type is not sent anywhere.