Introducing the Avery free barcode generator
How to create your own barcode labels
You’ve got your products and you’re ready to sell. But now you need a way to manage all your stock and inventory levels. The simplest way to track your products is using barcodes, but you might be wondering “Can I create my own barcodes?”. The answer is both yes and no…
To sell a product, the first step is to get a barcode number from GS1. All products need a unique identification number to be able to sell them online or in stores. But who are GS1? GS1 are a neutral, not-for-profit agency and GS1 barcode standards are the most widely used system to identify and capture information. GS1 barcodes are necessary for most online and traditional retailers including Amazon, eBay, Google and Tesco.
Once you are set up with your unique barcode numbers it’s time to turn these into scannable codes!
Can I generate my own barcode?
There are many online barcode generators available, some of which you will need to pay for. These fee-based barcode generation services will help you set up a whole barcode inventory system. However, if you are just looking to create your own barcode or generate a QR code, then a free barcode generator will be all you need.
So which is the best barcode generator? First, you need to identify what kind of barcode you want to generate to understand which barcode generator will be best for you. Once you know that, you can check which of free barcode generators offer that type.
The Avery free barcode Generator
As part of our Design & Print online label-making software, Avery has integrated a powerful free barcode generator that will turn your data into Barcodes and QR codes at the touch of a button! So long as you know your GS1-provided code numbers, or know what information you’d like to add to your 2D barcodes, you’re ready to go!
Step 1: Open Avery Design & Print and choose your product label size and shape
Step 2: Choose your template design, or select a blank template to create your design from scratch
Step 3: Select your barcode type. Click the QR and Barcodes icon on the left-hand side of the screen. At this point, you can choose to either manually generate a single barcode from a code that you have or use a spreadsheet if you would like to generate a sheet of different barcode labels from a pre-existing database.
How to create a sheet of barcode labels that are all the same
If you are labelling a batch of products, which all need the same barcode information on them, the easiest way is to use the Enter Manually option when you click on QR and Barcodes inside Design & Print. First, select the Barcode Type by using the “Industry Standard Format” drop-down box. You will see that Design & Print offers 20 different barcode types to choose from, and includes a QR code generator.
Next, enter the barcode number (Design & Print will give you instructions as to how many digits it needs to be) and then click the green Finish button. Your barcode will now generate on every label of your chosen Avery label
Barcode FAQ's
Let’s review the main barcode types. Barcodes fall into two categories: linear barcodes and 2D barcodes. Linear barcodes (sometimes also called 1D barcodes) represent data by encoding the ones and zeros that computers understand into parallel lines that vary by width and spacing. 2D barcodes encode ones and zeros in two-dimensional symbols and can represent more data per unit area.
Common Linear Barcode Labels
UPC labels feature linear barcodes in two variations of numerical codes. UPC-A barcode labels encode 12 digits and are used primarily in the retail industry for point-of-sale transactions.
EAN codes are the international version of UPC codes. They look very similar to UPC codes, except they can encode either 13 digits (EAN-13) or eight (EAN-8) for very compact EAN barcode labels. EAN codes are the barcodes most commonly found on product labels in UK shops.
ITF barcode labels are high-density linear barcodes that pair up every two digits to create a single symbol. High printing tolerance is one of the main benefits of using ITF barcode labels, meaning they’re still scannable even if the printed codes deviate from actual dimensions. High printing tolerance makes ITF barcode labels ideal for use on corrugated cardboard and other packaging materials. ITF barcode labels are commonly used in the shipping and warehouse industries specifically due to this attribute.
Code 39 barcode labels are commonly found in the defence and automobile industries. This type of linear barcode originally encoded 39 digits (hence the name) although modern Code 39 barcodes now encode 43 digits.
High-density and compact, Code 128 barcode labels are often used in supply chain industries including transportation and logistics. The fact that this type of linear barcode encodes up to 128 digits is important because it supports the 128 characters in the American Standard Code for Information Interchange (ASCII). ASCII code compatibility means that Code 128 barcode labels can store much more diversified information. This makes them useful barcode labels for shipping containers and other supply chain industries.
Codabar barcode labels are simpler to make than most barcode labels for two reasons. Firstly, he actual codes can be made using consecutive numbers without the need for a computer. Secondly, Codabar barcodes can be printed with any impact style printer. They’re so easy to make that even a simple typewriter can do the trick. Codabar barcode labels are used in the logistics and healthcare industries because they are so easy to produce.
Common 2D Barcode Labels
QR codes are perhaps the most well-known type of 2D barcode. QR barcode labels are generally used in marketing and advertising campaigns for retail and entertainment industries because they can hold more information in a smaller space. By using a QR code generator you can encode data in squares arranged in both vertical and horizontal patterns, which is what makes them two-dimensional. This is also what allows QR barcode labels to hold so much information.
Data Matrix barcodes are another type of 2D barcode and are very similar to QR codes. The main difference between the two is that Data Matrix barcode labels can be even smaller while still holding a lot of information. Encoded with only alphanumeric data, Data Matrix barcodes can store up to 2,335 characters. Data Matrix barcode labels are used primarily for labelling small electronic components.