Code 128 barcode generator
The everyday barcode for labels: letters, digits and symbols, compact, readable by every scanner.
Letters, digits and symbols (ASCII), up to 80 characters.
About Code 128
Code 128 can hold any of the 128 ASCII characters. Long runs of digits are packed two per symbol, so order numbers and serials stay short.
It has a built-in check character, so a misread is rejected instead of passing as the wrong code. Use it for asset tags, warehouse bins, tickets and internal labels.
What goes in it
- Characters
- All ASCII: A–Z, a–z, 0–9, symbols
- Length
- Up to 80 characters here
- Check
- Built-in check character (not printed)
- Quiet zone
- 10 bar-widths each side
Where Code 128 is used
Code 128 is the everyday barcode of logistics and stock control: courier labels, warehouse bins, asset tags, library cards, tickets and order slips. It carries letters, digits and punctuation, and it is very compact for long numbers.
It is the right choice whenever you control both the label and the scanner, for example for your own inventory or internal tracking. If the code must follow GS1 rules for trading partners, use GS1-128 instead.
Printing it so it scans
Print dark bars on a white or light background; black on white is safest. Red, orange and yellow bars vanish under the red light most laser scanners use. Keep the quiet zones on both sides free of text and graphics.
Do not squash the height or crop the bars, and keep the size within the range the symbology allows. Thinner bars need more precise printing, so test small sizes first.
Send your printer SVG or PDF: they are vectors and stay sharp at any size. Before the run, scan a proof with a real scanner or a phone and check that the number it reads is right.
Code 128 questions
Code 128, unless your scanner or customer requires Code 39. It is shorter for the same data and supports lower case.
You can, but phones will not open it. For links, use a QR code.
Tills look for EAN and UPC. Use those for products on shelves.