Title: Barcodegen – Barcode Generator Author: barcodegen Published: October 13, 2026 Last modified: October 13, 2026 --- Search plugins ![](https://s.w.org/plugins/geopattern-icon/barcodegen.svg) # Barcodegen – Barcode Generator By [barcodegen](https://profiles.wordpress.org/barcodegen/) [Download](https://downloads.wordpress.org/plugin/barcodegen.1.0.0.zip) * [Details](https://wordpress.org/plugins/barcodegen/#description) * [Reviews](https://wordpress.org/plugins/barcodegen/#reviews) * [Installation](https://wordpress.org/plugins/barcodegen/#installation) * [Development](https://wordpress.org/plugins/barcodegen/#developers) [Support](https://wordpress.org/support/plugin/barcodegen/) ## Description Barcodegen adds real barcodes to WordPress. Type a value, pick a format, and you get a clean vector barcode that prints sharply at any size — product pages, packing slips, invoices, tickets, shelf labels, asset tags, anything. **Six formats, generated locally** * **EAN-13** — retail products worldwide (12 or 13 digits, check digit calculated for you) * **EAN-8** — small retail packages * **UPC-A** — retail products in the US and Canada * **Code 128** — the all purpose format for internal codes, tickets and documents, with automatic code set selection (A/B/C) and the correct check digit * **Code 39** — still common on older industrial equipment * **ITF-14** — cartons and shipping labels, with the GTIN-14 check digit **How it renders** Every barcode is written as inline SVG by PHP. There is no image file to manage, no JavaScript, and no canvas: the bars stay sharp on retina screens and come out of a laser printer perfectly. Guard bars extend below the digit row and the number system digits sit in the quiet zones, so EAN-13 and UPC-A output looks like a real retail label, not a screenshot. **Three ways to add one** 1. The **[barcodegen]** shortcode, with attributes for every option. 2. The **Barcode** block, with a live preview in the editor. 3. **Tools Barcode Generator** in your dashboard, which also hands you a ready made shortcode. **Privacy and performance** Nothing is sent anywhere. There are no external requests, no trackers, no cookies and no third party libraries — the encoders are about a thousand lines of PHP written for this plugin. Barcodes render on the server, so they work in feeds and emails and add nothing to your page weight budget. #### Shortcode ``` [barcodegen format="ean13" value="5901234123457"] ``` Every attribute is optional except the value: * **format** — code128 (default), code39, ean13, ean8, upca or itf14. The advanced values code128a, code128b, code128c and itf are accepted too * **scale** — module width in pixels, 0.5 to 10 (default 2) * **height** — bar height in pixels (default 60) * **text** — print the value under the bars, “yes” or “no” * **bar_color** — any CSS colour, default #000000 * **bg_color** — any CSS colour, or “transparent” * **padding** — extra space around the bars, in pixels * **class** — extra CSS class on the SVG * **align** — left, center or right Enclosed content also works, which is handy when the value contains quotes: ``` [barcodegen format="code39"]HELLO WORLD[/barcodegen] ``` If a value cannot be encoded — a five digit EAN-13, a lower case letter in Code 39 — you will see the reason while editing and visitors will see nothing at all. #### Formats What each format accepts, so you get it right the first time. * **code128** — ASCII 0-127, any length. The check digit is calculated for you. The default, and the best choice for internal codes. * **code39** — digits, A-Z and – . space $ / + %. Lower case is converted to upper case for you. * **ean13** — 12 digits, or 13 with the check digit. A wrong check digit is corrected rather than printed. * **ean8** — 7 digits, or 8 with the check digit. * **upca** — 11 digits, or 12 with the check digit. * **itf14** — 13 digits, or 14 with the check digit. Cartons and shipping labels. Non-digit characters are stripped from EAN, UPC and ITF values, so `590-1234-123457` encodes exactly like `5901234123457`. Values with accents or non-Latin characters are rejected by Code 128 and accepted by Code 39 only if they are in the Latin-1 range. ## Blocks This plugin provides 1 block. * Barcode ## Installation 1. In your dashboard go to Plugins Add New and search for “Barcodegen”. 2. Click Install Now, then Activate. 3. Open Tools Barcode Generator to make your first barcode, or paste `[barcodegen format="ean13" value="5901234123457"]` into any post. ## FAQ ### Does it send my data anywhere? No. Encoding happens in PHP on your own server. The plugin makes no HTTP requests at all, so it is safe to use behind a firewall and it cannot leak product codes. ### Can I print the barcodes? Yes. The output is vector SVG, so it stays sharp at any size and prints cleanly on labels, packing slips and thermal printers. ### Does it work with WooCommerce? Yes. Put the shortcode in a product description, or print barcodes on order emails and invoices with the same shortcode. ### Can I remove the link back to barcodegen.net? It is already removed: the plugin adds no visible link by default. If you would like to credit the plugin there is an opt-in switch on the settings screen. ### Why is there no QR Code? QR, Data Matrix, PDF417 and Aztec are 2D formats that need a very different encoder, and they are on the roadmap. Until then [barcodegen.net](https://www.barcodegen.net/) generates them for free in the browser, along with bulk CSV generation and ZIP export. ### Which format should I use? Code 128 for anything internal — SKUs, order numbers, tickets, asset tags. EAN-13 for products sold worldwide, UPC-A for the US and Canada, EAN-8 when a small package has no room for thirteen digits, ITF-14 for shipping cartons. If a shop scanner has to read it, use EAN-13 or UPC-A. If it is only for your own tracking, Code 128 is narrower and scans just as reliably. ### My printed barcode will not scan. Why? Nine times out of ten it is print scaling. Print at 100%, never “Fit to page”. If that does not fix it, raise scale to 2 or more, make sure the quiet zone around the bars is not cropped, and keep the bars black on white — red, light or low contrast bars will not read. ### Do I need to calculate the check digit? No. Supply 12 digits for an EAN-13, 11 for a UPC-A, 7 for an EAN-8 or 13 for an ITF-14 and the check digit is added for you. If you supply the full length with a wrong check digit it is corrected rather than printed, so you cannot publish a symbol that scanners reject. ### Does it work with page builders? Yes. The Barcode block is a normal Gutenberg block and the shortcode is a normal shortcode, so both work in Elementor, Divi, WPBakery, Beaver Builder and the Classic Editor with no extra setup. ### My barcode does not appear. What now? While you are logged in as an editor the plugin prints the exact reason — usually a value that is too short for the format. Check the format hint on the generator screen for the accepted length. ## Reviews There are no reviews for this plugin. ## Contributors & Developers “Barcodegen – Barcode Generator” is open source software. The following people have contributed to this plugin. Contributors * [ barcodegen ](https://profiles.wordpress.org/barcodegen/) [Translate “Barcodegen – Barcode Generator” into your language.](https://translate.wordpress.org/projects/wp-plugins/barcodegen) ### Interested in development? [Browse the code](https://plugins.trac.wordpress.org/browser/barcodegen/), check out the [SVN repository](https://plugins.svn.wordpress.org/barcodegen/), or subscribe to the [development log](https://plugins.trac.wordpress.org/log/barcodegen/) by [RSS](https://plugins.trac.wordpress.org/log/barcodegen/?limit=100&mode=stop_on_copy&format=rss). ## Changelog #### 1.0.0 * Initial release. EAN-13, EAN-8, UPC-A, Code 128 (auto, A, B, C), Code 39 and ITF-14, shortcode, block and dashboard generator. ## Meta * Version **1.0.0** * Last updated **6 days ago** * Active installations **Fewer than 10** * WordPress version ** 6.0 or higher ** * Tested up to **7.1.3** * PHP version ** 7.4 or higher ** * Tags * [barcode](https://wordpress.org/plugins/tags/barcode/)[barcode generator](https://wordpress.org/plugins/tags/barcode-generator/) [code128](https://wordpress.org/plugins/tags/code128/) * [Advanced View](https://wordpress.org/plugins/barcodegen/advanced/) ## Ratings No reviews have been submitted yet. [Your review](https://wordpress.org/support/plugin/barcodegen/reviews/#new-post) [See all reviews](https://wordpress.org/support/plugin/barcodegen/reviews/) ## Contributors * [ barcodegen ](https://profiles.wordpress.org/barcodegen/) ## Support Got something to say? Need help? [View support forum](https://wordpress.org/support/plugin/barcodegen/)