Nookbyte Make barcodes and product labels
Type an EAN, UPC or SKU and download a print-ready barcode, or fill a whole Avery sheet with product labels. Check digits are worked out for you, and nothing leaves your browser.
In the print dialog choose Actual size or 100%, not “Fit to page”, or the labels won’t line up. Print one sheet on plain paper first and hold it against a label sheet.
How to print barcode labels
- Choose Label sheet.
- Type or paste one product per line: the barcode number or SKU, a name, a price and how many labels you need. Or open a CSV, such as a Shopify product export.
- Pick your sheet. If it isn’t listed, choose Custom grid and copy the measurements from the maker’s template.
- On a partly used sheet, set where to start, or click the first free label in the preview.
- Print at Actual size, or download the PDF and print that.
Label sheets
| Sheet | Paper | Per sheet | Label size |
|---|---|---|---|
| Avery 5160 | US Letter | 30 | 1 × 2⅝ in |
| Avery 5167 | US Letter | 80 | ½ × 1¾ in |
| Avery L7160 | A4 | 21 | 63.5 × 38.1 mm |
| Avery L7651 | A4 | 65 | 38.1 × 21.2 mm |
Each layout uses the margins and spacing from Avery’s own template for that sheet.
Barcode sizes
GS1 sizes EAN and UPC barcodes by the width of the narrowest bar, the X-dimension. Widths include the blank quiet zones each side. Heights are the bars only; the digits add about 3 mm at 100%.
| Size | X (mm) | EAN-13, UPC-A (mm) | EAN-8 (mm) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 80% | 0.264 | 29.83 × 18.28 | 21.38 × 14.58 |
| 90% | 0.297 | 33.56 × 20.57 | 24.06 × 16.41 |
| 100% | 0.330 | 37.29 × 22.85 | 26.73 × 18.23 |
| 120% | 0.396 | 44.75 × 27.42 | 32.08 × 21.88 |
| 150% | 0.495 | 55.94 × 34.28 | 40.10 × 27.35 |
| 200% | 0.660 | 74.58 × 45.70 | 53.46 × 36.46 |
Source: GS1 General Specifications, release 26.0, sections 5.2.3 and 5.2.6.7.
Questions
Do I need to buy barcode numbers from GS1?
To sell through most retail stores and big online marketplaces, yes. UPC and EAN numbers (GTINs) are issued by GS1, the nonprofit that runs the system, through a company prefix you license. This tool draws a correct barcode for a number you already have. It does not issue numbers, and a made-up number can clash with another company's product.
Does Amazon accept these barcodes?
The barcode is drawn to the GS1 specification, so any scanner reads it the same way. Whether Amazon accepts the number itself is a separate question: Amazon has its own rules for product IDs, including when a brand can ask for an exemption. Check Amazon's Seller Central help on product IDs before you list.
Can I make barcodes for my own stock?
Yes. For bins, shelves and products that only go through your own scanner, put your SKU in a Code 128 barcode. It holds letters, digits and dashes, and needs no registration. If your point-of-sale system insists on an EAN-13, GS1 keeps numbers starting with 04 for use inside one company, but they must never leave it.
What size should a product barcode be?
GS1 sets the size by the width of the narrowest bar, called the X-dimension. At 100% it is 0.330 mm, which makes an EAN-13 or UPC-A 37.29 mm wide including its blank margins, with bars 22.85 mm tall, or 25.93 mm with the digits. For checkout scanning GS1 allows 80% to 200%. Keep the full bar height when you can: GS1 does not allow shortened bars on retail products.
What is a check digit?
The last digit of an EAN, UPC or ITF-14 number is worked out from the others, so a scanner can tell when a code was misread. Type the number without it and the tool adds it. Type it in full and the tool checks it and tells you the right digit if it's wrong.
Why do my labels print in the wrong place?
Almost always because the print dialog shrank the page. Choose "Actual size" or "100%" instead of "Fit to page" or "Shrink to fit", and set margins to none if your browser asks. Print one sheet on plain paper first and hold it against a label sheet up to the light. If everything is off by the same amount, your printer's paper feed is shifting it.
Which label sheets can I use?
Avery 5160 and 5167 on US Letter, and Avery L7160 and L7651 on A4, laid out from Avery's own templates. Sheets from other brands sold as the same size use the same layout. For any other sheet, choose Custom grid and copy the margins, label size and pitch from the maker's template.
Does it work with a thermal label printer?
For a single barcode, yes. Download the PNG at your printer's resolution, usually 203 or 300 dpi, or the SVG, and print it from your label software. The sheet layouts are for laser and inkjet printers.
Can I print labels from a Shopify export?
Yes. In Shopify admin, export your products as a CSV and open it here. The tool reads the Title, option values, Variant Barcode, Variant SKU and Variant Price columns. Products with no barcode use their SKU in a Code 128 barcode instead.
Is my data uploaded?
No. The barcodes, the label sheets and the PDF are all made by your browser on your own device. Your product list is saved only in this browser so it is still there next time.