Make a Code 128 barcode

Code 128 holds letters, digits and punctuation in one compact barcode, which is why it is a common choice for inventory labels, shelf and bin tags, order numbers and shipping labels. It is the type to pick when no one has told you otherwise.

It works by switching between three character sets. Set B holds capitals, lowercase letters, digits and punctuation, set A holds capitals, digits and control characters, and set C packs two digits into every bar character, so a long run of digits comes out much narrower. This page picks the sets for you and switches inside the barcode where that makes it shorter.

The type also adds its own checksum character, and the scanner checks it and does not pass it on, so you have nothing to calculate and nothing extra appears in the scanned text.

What Code 128 can hold here

• Printable ASCII characters: A–Z, a–z, 0–9, space and punctuation. Case is kept, so ab and AB are different barcodes.
• Up to 80 characters on this page. The type itself has no fixed limit, but a longer barcode gets too wide to print or scan comfortably.
• Not accented letters, emoji or non-Latin text. This page does not use the type’s extended character options.

Code 128 and GS1-128

• GS1-128 is Code 128 with a special first character and a defined structure of numbered data fields, used on supply-chain labels. This page draws plain Code 128, so a scanner reads exactly the text you typed.