Code 128
Free Code 128 Barcode Generator
Turn any text, SKU or asset tag into a Code 128 barcode and download it as a PNG. Code 128 encodes letters, digits and symbols in a compact, high-density symbology — ideal for inventory and shipping labels. Free, no sign-up, and the barcode is static so it never expires.
What is Code 128?
Code 128 is a high-density linear barcode that encodes the full ASCII character set. It is one of the most widely supported symbologies in logistics and warehousing, and virtually every handheld scanner reads it out of the box.
Its density comes from three character subsets — A, B and C — that a Code 128 encoder switches between automatically. Subset C packs pairs of digits into a single symbol, so long numeric values stay compact.
Code 128 also carries its own checksum, so you never calculate a check digit yourself.
How to create a Code 128 barcode
Type the value into the field above — any mix of letters, digits and common symbols is valid.
The preview and the human-readable text beneath it update as you type, so you can see how wide the barcode becomes as the value grows.
Press Download PNG when it looks right. The image is ready to place into a label template, a spreadsheet or a design file.
Where Code 128 is used
Inventory and stock control: shelf labels, bin locations and internal SKUs that mix letters and numbers.
Asset tracking: laptops, tools and equipment tagged with an internal asset ID.
Shipping and logistics: carton labels, pick lists and internal tracking references. Code 128 is the base symbology behind GS1-128 shipping labels.
Document and file management: case numbers, batch IDs and archive references.
Printing tips
Leave a quiet zone of clear space either side of the bars — roughly ten times the width of the narrowest bar — or scanners will fail to find the code.
Keep the value short. Every added character widens the barcode, and a long value squeezed onto a small label is the most common cause of scan failures.
Print black on white at the largest size the label allows, never stretch the image non-proportionally, and test the printed result with a real scanner before running a batch.
Static barcodes, no account, no expiry
The value is encoded directly into the bars, so the image is self-contained. It keeps scanning forever with no dependency on this website, no redirect and no tracking.
Nothing is stored on a server and there is no account to manage — generate what you need and download it immediately.