EAN-13 Barcode Generator
EAN-13 is the 13-digit barcode printed on most retail products outside North America. Enter 12 digits and QR & Barcode Studio adds the mod-10 check digit, then exports a print-ready SVG, PDF or PNG. The number itself must come from your GS1 licence.
What EAN-13 is and where it is used
EAN-13 encodes a GTIN-13, the global trade item number used at supermarket and shop checkouts worldwide. Point-of-sale scanners read it omnidirectionally, so it is the default choice for consumer goods, cosmetics, groceries and books (as ISBN).
Numbers for products sold in retail must come from a licence with a GS1 Member Organisation such as GS1 US, GS1 UK or GS1 Korea. QR & Barcode Studio checks the structure and check digit of the number you enter, but it does not issue or register numbers.
How an EAN-13 number is built
- GS1 prefix (2–3 digits) identifying the Member Organisation that allocated the company prefix, not the country of manufacture.
- GS1 company prefix plus item reference, together filling digits 1 to 12; the split depends on the size of your licence.
- Check digit (digit 13): weight digits alternately 1 and 3 from the left, sum them, and take the amount needed to reach the next multiple of 10.
- The symbol is 95 modules wide: start guard, six left digits, centre guard, six right digits, end guard. The first digit is encoded through the parity pattern of the left half.
Size, quiet zones and printing
At 100% magnification the module width (X) is 0.33 mm and the symbol is about 37.29 × 25.93 mm including the human-readable digits. GS1 allows magnification from 80% to 200%; keep the full bar height, because truncating bars makes omnidirectional scanning harder.
Leave a light quiet zone of at least 11X on the left and 7X on the right. Print dark bars (black, dark blue or dark green) on a white or light background; red bars are invisible to red-light scanners. For quality control, grade printed samples with an ISO/IEC 15416 verifier and aim for grade C (1.5) or better.
How to make it
- Open the barcode generator and choose EAN-13.
- Type the first 12 digits of your licensed GTIN; the check digit is completed automatically.
- Pick a magnification using the print size guidance.
- Export as SVG or PDF for packaging artwork, or PNG for quick use.
- Scan a test print with the built-in scanner before sending to press.
Frequently asked questions
Can I make my own EAN-13 number?
You can generate a valid-looking barcode for internal use, but numbers for retail must be licensed from a GS1 Member Organisation. Retailers and marketplaces check that the GTIN belongs to your company.
What size should an EAN-13 barcode be?
Nominal size is about 37.29 × 25.93 mm (X = 0.33 mm). You can scale between 80% and 200%; many printers need 100% or more for reliable results on flexible packaging.
What is the difference between EAN-13 and UPC-A?
UPC-A is a 12-digit subset of EAN-13. A UPC-A number becomes an EAN-13 by adding a leading zero, and modern scanners read both.