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Add barcode

Generate a barcode (EAN-13, Code 128, UPC-A, DataMatrix, PDF417…) and stamp it onto your PDF.

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Retail, logistics and archiving all run on barcodes, and each of them expects a particular symbology. This tool stamps eight of them onto a PDF: Code 128, EAN-13, EAN-8, UPC-A, Code 39, ITF, DataMatrix and PDF417 — the linear codes for products and shipments, and the two-dimensional ones for when a lot of data has to fit in a small square.

The symbology is not cosmetic and the tool will not let you pretend otherwise. EAN-13 means exactly thirteen digits with a valid check digit; UPC-A means twelve; ITF needs an even count. If the value does not fit the standard you have chosen, you are told rather than handed a code that no scanner will accept. That is the point of the check: an invalid barcode looks perfectly fine on paper and fails at the till.

How it works

  1. Drop in a PDF.
  2. Choose the barcode type your workflow requires.
  3. Enter the value — the preview updates and rejects anything the standard does not allow.
  4. Set the size and position, choose whether to show the value as text and whether to stamp every page, then apply.

What people use it for

  • Putting an EAN-13 product code onto a printed label sheet or a spec page.
  • Stamping a Code 128 tracking number onto shipping paperwork.
  • Adding a DataMatrix or PDF417 block that carries more data than a linear code can hold.

Frequently asked questions

Is my file uploaded to a server?
No. The file is opened by JavaScript and WebAssembly running inside your own browser tab. It is never uploaded, there is no server-side processing and nothing is stored — closing the tab discards everything.
It says my value is not valid for this type.
Each symbology has rules — a fixed length, digits only, a computed check digit. EAN-13 needs thirteen digits, UPC-A twelve, ITF an even number of them. Code 128 is the flexible one and accepts letters and punctuation, which is why it is the usual choice for internal references.
Which type should I use?
Whatever the receiving system requires — that is not a free choice. EAN and UPC for retail products, Code 128 for logistics and internal tracking, ITF for outer cartons, DataMatrix and PDF417 when you need more data in less space.
Should I show the value as text?
Usually yes. The human-readable line under the bars is what lets somebody type the number in when a scanner fails, and for retail symbologies it is expected as part of the standard's presentation.
My barcode does not scan.
Almost always size. Linear codes need enough width for the narrow bars to survive printing; scaling one down until it looks tidy is the most common way to make it unreadable. Print it larger and keep clear space around it.

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