What is a 1D Barcode?

A 1D (one-dimensional) barcode encodes data as a sequence of parallel bars and spaces with varying widths. A scanner reads the light-and-dark pattern and decodes it back into the original number or string — usually in under a second. Despite being decades old, 1D barcodes are still the global standard for retail checkout, inventory management, shipping labels, and pharmaceutical packaging.

They're not flashy, but they're fast, reliable, and every scanner on the planet reads them without any configuration.

All 8 Supported Barcode Formats

How to Create a Barcode

1. Enter your data — a format hint appears below the input showing exactly what the selected format accepts.
2. Select the format — CODE128 works for most purposes. Use EAN-13 or UPC-A for retail products.
3. Adjust bar width and height using the sliders to fit your label size.
4. Toggle the text value to show or hide the encoded data below the bars.
5. Customise the colours if your label design needs specific bar or background colours.
6. Download as SVG for scalable print use, or PNG for digital embedding.

Who Uses Which Format

• Retail and e-commerce sellers need EAN-13 for products sold internationally — it's the standard every point-of-sale system in the world reads. Selling in North America only? Use UPC-A instead. EAN-13 also encodes ISBN-13 for book covers, so publishers use the exact same format.
• For warehouse and inventory work, CODE128 is the most flexible choice. It handles letters, numbers, and symbols, so you can encode whatever internal SKU or bin code system you already use — no restrictions on length.
• Shipping containers and outer cartons use ITF-14. It's the same idea as EAN-13 but designed specifically for corrugated packaging where printing quality can vary.
• CODE39 has been around since the 1970s and every scanner ever made reads it without question. It's widely used in asset tracking, healthcare ID systems, and defence logistics for exactly that reason.
• Pharmacode is very niche — it's only used in pharmaceutical packaging — but if that's your industry, it's the format your packaging line expects. Enter any whole number between 3 and 131070.

Tips for Best Results

• Download as SVG for anything printed — it stays sharp at any size, from a label to a banner.
• PNG is fine for digital use: websites, spreadsheets, emails, or embedding in documents.
• Keep the contrast high. Dark bars on a white or light background is the safest combination. Coloured barcodes can look great but always test-scan them before committing to a print run.
• For EAN and UPC retail barcodes, use bar width 2–3 and height at least 80px. Scanners at checkout counters expect a certain minimum size to read reliably.
• Always test-scan with a real scanner or phone app before printing a large batch. What looks fine on screen can still fail to scan if the bar width is too thin for your printer resolution.
• If you get a validation error, check the format hint directly below the data input — EAN-13 needs exactly 12 digits, UPC-A exactly 11.

Common Questions