What EAN-13 is
EAN-13 (European Article Number) is the most widely used barcode standard in global retail for identifying products — the 13 digits below the bars appear on virtually every product package sold in a physical store. The first digits identify the country/entity and the manufacturer, the following digits identify the product, and the last digit is a check digit mathematically calculated from the other 12.
How the check digit is calculated
By summing the first 12 digits with alternating weights (weight 1 for odd positions, weight 3 for even positions, counting from the left), the check digit is the value that, added to that total, results in a multiple of 10.
How to use it
Type up to 12 numeric digits (if you type fewer, the calculator pads with leading zeros) — the 13th digit is calculated and appended automatically, and the barcode is drawn on a <canvas>, ready to download as PNG.
Frequently asked questions
Is this barcode registered/official?
No — the tool only generates the visual representation (the bars) of a mathematically valid EAN-13 number. To sell a product with your own official code, you need to register it with GS1.
Does this barcode scan normally?
Yes — the bar pattern follows the EAN-13 specification exactly, so barcode readers (including phone apps) should read the number correctly, as long as the image is printed sharply and at an adequate size.
What happens if I type more than 12 digits?
The tool asks you to shorten it — only 12 digits are accepted as input, since the 13th is always the automatically calculated check digit.