Generate Code 128 barcodes
The one to use for your own codes, because it encodes text as well as digits.
Code 128 is the workhorse for internal codes. Unlike the retail symbologies it takes letters, digits and punctuation, and it packs them tightly, so a stock code like WH-2026-0431A fits on a small label. Nothing has to be registered with anybody: if your warehouse, workshop or library uses a code, this turns it into a barcode a scanner will read straight into your system.
How to generate a Code 128 barcode
- 1
Paste your codes
One per line. Letters, digits and common punctuation are all fine, in any mixture.
- 2
Add captions if it helps
Put a caption after a tab, or import a CSV and choose a caption column, so the label shows the item name as well as the code.
- 3
Print a sheet
Pick a label sheet and download the PDF, or export PNG and SVG files to use in another layout.
Why Code 128 for your own labels
Retail symbologies only hold digits and expect a number issued by GS1. Code 128 holds whatever your own system already uses, which means you do not have to change your codes to be able to scan them.
Coming from a spreadsheet?
Import the CSV, pick the code column and the caption column, and every row becomes a label.
Frequently asked questions
How long can the code be?+
Longer codes make wider barcodes, so the practical limit is the width of your label. Around twenty characters fits comfortably on a standard address label at the default settings.
Does it handle lower case?+
Yes. Code 128 covers the full ASCII range, so mixed case and punctuation are fine. Code 39, by contrast, is capitals and a few symbols only.
Will any scanner read it?+
Code 128 is universally supported. Most scanners read it out of the box with no configuration.
Can I bring the codes in from a spreadsheet?+
Yes. Import a CSV and pick the column. That is the usual route when the list already exists in a stock system.