# Make Barcode — Barcode generator for Mac

Make Code 128, EAN-13, UPC-A, PDF417 and Aztec barcodes for labels, products and tickets. Part of OneMacTools, 151 private tools in one native Mac app (macOS 26 or later); category: Utilities. Runs on your Mac; nothing is uploaded.

Type a value and get a crisp, print-ready barcode PNG. EAN-13 and UPC-A check digits are added for you, or checked if you include them. Code 128 suits inventory labels and shipping, PDF417 and Aztec hold longer text for tickets and IDs, and the number is printed under linear barcodes.

Page: https://www.onemactools.com/tools/barcode-generator · Download: https://www.onemactools.com/download · Pricing: https://www.onemactools.com/pricing

## How to use it
1. **Pick the barcode type.** Choose Code 128 for labels and stock, EAN-13 or UPC-A for retail products, or PDF417 or Aztec for tickets and longer text.
2. **Type the value.** Type or paste the number or text. For EAN-13 and UPC-A you can leave off the check digit and it's worked out for you.
3. **Choose the size.** Small, Medium or Large. Larger barcodes are easier to scan when printed.
4. **Click Create.** A print-ready PNG is saved in a new dated folder in Downloads › OneMacTools and copied to the clipboard. Code 128, EAN-13 and UPC-A have the value printed underneath.

## Options
- **Type:** Code 128 (letters, numbers and symbols, for inventory and shipping labels), EAN-13 (12 or 13 digits, for products sold outside North America), UPC-A (11 or 12 digits, for products in the US and Canada), PDF417 (longer text, used on boarding passes and ID cards) or Aztec (compact square code used on tickets).
- **Size:** Small, Medium or Large, Medium by default. Sets how wide each bar or block is in pixels. Use Large for labels you'll print and scan from a distance.
- **Also copy the image:** On by default. Copies the finished barcode to the clipboard as well as saving the PNG.

## Tips
- For EAN-13 and UPC-A, type the number without the last digit and let the app add the check digit, so it's always correct.
- Real retail barcodes need numbers registered with GS1. Make-up numbers are fine for mock-ups and internal labels, not for products in shops.
- Use Code 128 for your own stock codes like ITEM-0042. It handles letters, numbers and symbols.
- Print barcodes in black on white and don't stretch them in another app. Scale them evenly or scanners may fail.
- Scan a test print with Scan QR & Barcodes or your phone before printing a whole batch of labels.

## Questions
**How do I make a barcode on a Mac?**
Choose the barcode type, type the value and click Create. You get a crisp PNG you can paste into a label template or document.

**What's the difference between EAN-13 and UPC-A?**
Both are retail product barcodes. UPC-A has 12 digits and is used mainly in the US and Canada; EAN-13 has 13 digits and is used almost everywhere else.

**How do I calculate the check digit for an EAN-13 barcode?**
Type the first 12 digits and Make Barcode works out and adds the 13th for you. If you type all 13 and the last one is wrong, it tells you what it should be.

**Which barcode should I use for stock labels?**
Code 128. It holds letters, numbers and symbols in a compact barcode that almost every scanner reads.

**Can I use these barcodes on products I sell in shops?**
The barcodes are correct and scannable, but shops expect EAN or UPC numbers registered to your company through GS1. Make Barcode draws the code; it doesn't issue numbers.

**Why won't my text work as Code 128?**
Code 128 only holds plain ASCII letters, numbers and symbols. Remove accented letters and emoji, or use PDF417 or Aztec instead.