Free, no signup. Updated November 2026
Free UPC barcode generator
Enter a UPC number and download a UPC-A barcode that scans.
Type or paste your 12-digit UPC, or the first 11 digits, and the tool draws a UPC-A barcode with the correct check digit and the quiet zones a scanner needs. Do one or a whole list, then download a PDF, PNG or SVG. Numbers are rendered in your browser and never uploaded.
North American retail barcode with 11 or 12 digits.
One value per line, up to 120 barcodes per PDF.
Live preview
1 valuePNG and SVG save the first value. The PDF has every label.
UPC-A at a glance
UPC-A is the 12-digit barcode on almost every product sold at retail in the United States and Canada.
| Digits | 12, numbers only. Enter 11 and the tool adds the twelfth. |
|---|---|
| Last digit | A check digit calculated from the first 11. One wrong digit and the scanner rejects the code. |
| Where the number comes from | A GS1 Company Prefix licensed from GS1 US, plus your item number. |
| Quiet zone | Blank space of 9 times the narrowest bar on each side. Every download includes it. |
| Standard size | About 1.47 × 1.02 inches at 100%, including quiet zones. GS1 allows 80% to 200% of that. |
| Used for | Retail checkout, Amazon and marketplace listings, and receiving at retailers' warehouses. |
A UPC number and a UPC barcode are two different things
This tool draws the barcode. It does not issue the number, and no free generator can.
The number is licensed
A real UPC starts with a GS1 Company Prefix that GS1 US licenses to your business. That prefix is what ties the barcode to your brand in GS1's database.
Why made-up numbers fail
Amazon and large retailers check a UPC against GS1's records. A number you invented, or one bought from a reseller under someone else's prefix, can get a listing rejected.
The barcode is just a picture of it
Once you have a legitimate number, the bars are a standard encoding of those 12 digits. Any correct UPC-A image of your number is as valid as one from a paid service.
Internal use is different
If the code never leaves your building, you don't need a UPC. Use Code 128 for your own SKUs and bin labels, with any letters and numbers you like.
See the SKU vs UPC guide for when you need each.
How the UPC check digit works
The twelfth digit is arithmetic on the other eleven, so a scanner can catch a misread.
The calculation
Add the digits in the odd positions (1st, 3rd, 5th and so on) and multiply by 3. Add the digits in the even positions. Sum the two, and the check digit is whatever brings that total up to the next multiple of 10.
A worked example
For 03600029145: odd positions add to 14, times 3 is 42. Even positions add to 16. 42 + 16 = 58, and 58 needs 2 to reach 60. The full UPC is 036000291452.
What the tool does
Enter 11 digits and it appends the check digit. Enter 12 with a wrong last digit and it tells you the right one instead of printing a barcode that won't scan.
UPC-A and EAN-13
A UPC-A with a zero in front is the same product number as an EAN-13. Scanners outside North America read UPC-A, so one barcode works for both.
How to make a UPC barcode
Three steps, about a minute, no account.
Step 1
Enter your UPC
Paste the 12-digit number from GS1 US, or the first 11 digits. For several products, put one number on each line.
Step 2
Check the result
The preview shows the bars and the digits under them. If a check digit is wrong, the tool shows the correct one.
Step 3
Download or print
Take the SVG or PNG for packaging artwork, or a PDF sized to a thermal label or an Avery 5160 sheet. Print at 100%, not fit to page.
UPC barcode FAQs
- Can I generate a UPC number for free?
- No. You can draw the barcode for free, but the 12-digit number has to come from GS1 US, which licenses a company prefix to your business. A number you make up may belong to another company, and Amazon and large retailers check UPCs against GS1's database.
- How many digits is a UPC?
- A UPC-A has 12 digits. The first 11 identify the company and the item, and the twelfth is a check digit calculated from the others. If you enter 11 digits here, the tool calculates the twelfth.
- What size should a UPC barcode be?
- GS1's standard size is about 1.47 inches wide by 1.02 inches tall, including the blank quiet zones on each side. You can scale it from 80% to 200% of that. Smaller than 80% and retail scanners may not read it.
- Is UPC-A the same as EAN-13?
- Nearly. An EAN-13 is 13 digits, and a UPC-A with a leading zero added is a valid EAN-13 for the same product. Retail scanners worldwide read both, so a product with a UPC-A does not need a second EAN barcode.
- Do I need a UPC to sell on Amazon?
- Most categories require a product ID such as a UPC or EAN to create a listing, unless you have a GTIN exemption. The UPC identifies the product. Units sent to FBA may also need an FNSKU label, which is a different barcode.
- Are my UPC numbers uploaded anywhere?
- No. The barcode is drawn inside your browser tab. The numbers you enter are not sent to Simpl or stored.
Other barcode types
The same tool makes every type below. Not sure which one you need? The barcode maker has a chooser.
- Code 128 Barcode GeneratorCode 128 barcodes from any SKU, order number or text, one at a time or as a batch PDF.
- Code 39 Barcode GeneratorCode 39 (3 of 9) barcodes for asset tags and legacy systems. PDF, PNG and SVG.
- ITF-14 Barcode GeneratorITF-14 case barcodes from a GTIN-14, with bearer bars and the check digit handled.
- EAN-13 Barcode GeneratorEAN-13 barcodes from 12 or 13 digits, with the check digit calculated or verified.
- FNSKU Label GeneratorAmazon FNSKU item labels with the barcode, title and condition, on thermal labels or Avery 5160 sheets.
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