- Barcode Batch
- EAN-13
EAN-13 barcode generator
EAN-13 is the number code printed on products in shops around the world. Give 12 digits and the tool works out the 13th, or give all 13 and it checks them.
How an EAN-13 is built
An EAN-13 is 13 digits: 12 that identify the product, and a check digit at the end. The bars are 95 modules wide: a start pattern, six digits, a middle pattern, six digits, and an end pattern. The first digit is not drawn on its own. It decides which of two patterns is used for each of the next six digits.
The first digits are a prefix issued by a GS1 member organisation. They show who issued the number, not where the product was made.
Working out the check digit
Take the first 12 digits. Starting from the right, multiply them by 3, 1, 3, 1, and so on. Add up the results. The check digit is the amount that brings the total up to the next multiple of 10. EAN-8 and UPC-A use the same rule.
590123412345 gives 5×1 + 9×3 + 0×1 + 1×3 + 2×1 + 3×3 + 4×1 + 1×3 + 2×1 + 3×3 + 4×1 + 5×3 = 83. The next multiple of 10 is 90, so the check digit is 7, and the full number is 5901234123457.
UPC-A and EAN-8
UPC-A is the 12-digit code used in North America: 11 digits and a check digit. A UPC-A is the same as an EAN-13 with a zero in front, and many scanners report it that way. EAN-8 is 8 digits, 7 and a check digit, for small packs where an EAN-13 would not fit. Switch between them under Barcode type. The UPC page has more on UPC-A and UPC-E.
Size and blank space
GS1 UK gives the nominal bar width of an EAN-13 as 0.33 mm, and a printed code may be 80% to 200% of that size, so the narrowest bar should be at least about 0.264 mm. The standard also asks for 11 modules of blank space on the left and 7 on the right. The tool adds both, and warns you when the bars on your label come out below 0.25 mm.
A drawn code is not a registered number
The tool draws any digits you give it with the right check digit. It does not know whether you are entitled to use them. Numbers for products sold in shops come through GS1. The guide to registered numbers explains where to get them.
Questions
Can I make up my own EAN-13?
The tool will draw any 12 digits, but a number that was not issued to you can clash with another product’s number. For products sold in shops, get numbers through GS1. For your own stock, use Code 128 instead.
Why does my scanner show a zero in front of my UPC-A?
A UPC-A is an EAN-13 with a leading zero, and many scanners and apps report it as 13 digits. The code is the same.
Does the tool check that a number is registered?
No. It checks the length and the check digit, and nothing else. Whether a number is registered, and to whom, is held by GS1.
Sources
Checked on .