How to Create Barcodes: A Simple Guide for Everyone

Barcodes have become an indispensable part of modern life, streamlining processes from retail transactions to inventory management. These machine-readable codes, composed of lines and spaces, offer a quick and efficient way to encode information. If you’re looking to simplify tasks or manage product data more effectively, understanding how to create barcodes is a valuable skill. This guide will walk you through several easy methods to generate your own barcodes, whether for business, personal use, or organizational purposes.

Simple Methods to Generate Barcodes

Creating barcodes is more accessible than you might think. Several user-friendly methods are available, ranging from online tools to software applications and mobile apps. Below are five straightforward approaches to get you started:

1. Using Online Barcode Generators for Business and Personal Use

For a quick and hassle-free solution, online barcode generators are your best bet. These web-based tools eliminate the need for software installations and offer a range of barcode types.

Navigate to an Online Barcode Generator: Start by opening your web browser and searching for “online barcode generator.” Numerous free services are available, such as “Barcode Generator,” “Online Barcode Generator,” or “Free Barcode Generator.”
Select Your Barcode Type: Choose the type of barcode you need. Common options include Code 128, Code 39, EAN, UPC, and QR Codes. For product identification, UPC (Universal Product Code) or EAN (European Article Number) are standard. For general data encoding, Code 128 is versatile. QR codes are excellent for URLs and larger amounts of text.
Enter Your Data: Input the data you want to encode into the barcode. This could be product numbers, text, URLs, or any alphanumeric information.
Generate and Download: Click the “Generate” or “Create Barcode” button. The tool will instantly create your barcode. You can then download the barcode image in various formats like PNG, JPG, or SVG.

For UPC/ISBN Barcodes: If you require UPC or ISBN barcodes for products you intend to sell commercially, you’ll need to obtain a GS1 Company Prefix. Visit barcode.gs1us.org to begin the process for UPC codes in the US. For ISBNs (International Standard Book Numbers) for books, go to isbn.org. These organizations manage and issue these standardized codes.

2. Creating Barcodes in Microsoft Excel

Microsoft Excel, primarily known for spreadsheets, can also be used to generate barcodes. This method is particularly useful if you need to create barcodes in bulk from existing data lists.

Enable Developer Tab (If Not Visible): Go to “File” > “Options” > “Customize Ribbon.” In the right pane, check the “Developer” box and click “OK.”
Open Visual Basic for Applications (VBA): In Excel, go to the “Developer” tab and click “Visual Basic.”
Import Barcode Macro: In the VBA editor, go to “File” > “Import File.” Locate and import a barcode macro file. You may need to download a macro online; search for “Excel barcode macro VBA” to find reputable sources. These files often come in .bas format and will be added to the “Modules” folder in your VBA project.
Return to Excel Worksheet: Close the VBA editor to return to your Excel sheet.
Apply Barcode Formula: In a cell (e.g., B1), enter the formula to generate a barcode from the data in another cell (e.g., A1). If the macro you imported includes a function named “Code128,” you would enter =Code128(A1). Adjust the formula based on the specific macro function name.
Change Font to Barcode Font: Select the cell with the formula (B1 in the example). Go to the “Home” tab, and in the font dropdown menu, search for and select a barcode font. Popular barcode fonts include “Code 128,” “IDAutomationHC39M,” or similar. You might need to download and install a barcode font online if you don’t have one already.
Barcode Generation: The barcode corresponding to the data in cell A1 will appear in cell B1. You can drag the fill handle (the small square at the bottom-right of the cell) down to apply the formula and barcode formatting to other cells, generating multiple barcodes from a list of data.

3. Generating Location Barcodes with Google Maps

Need to share a location easily? Creating a barcode for a specific place on Google Maps is a convenient way to do it. This is ideal for businesses directing customers to their location or for event organizers sharing venue details.

Open Google Maps: Go to maps.google.com in your web browser.
Find the Location: Search for the location you want to create a barcode for. If it’s a business with a Google Business Profile, you can search for the business name.
Share and Copy Link: Once you’ve found the location on the map, click the “Share” button. In the share dialog, select “Copy link.” This copies the URL of the location to your clipboard.
Use a QR Code Generator: Location barcodes are typically implemented as QR codes. Open a QR code generator website (like qr-code-generator.com or similar).
Paste the Location Link: Paste the Google Maps link you copied into the designated field in the QR code generator. The QR code will automatically generate.
Download the QR Code: Download the QR code image. When scanned, this QR code will directly open the location in Google Maps on the user’s device.

4. Creating Barcodes on Android Using Barcode Generator Apps

For barcode creation on the go, mobile barcode generator apps are incredibly useful. Android users can easily find a variety of these apps on the Google Play Store.

Download a Barcode Generator App: Open the Google Play Store and search for “barcode generator.” Choose a well-rated and reputable app, such as “Barcode Generator” or “QR & Barcode Generator.”
Install and Open the App: Install the app and open it.
Start Creating a Barcode: Look for a “+” icon or an “Add Code” option, usually located at the bottom right or in the menu.
Select Barcode Type: Choose the barcode type you want to create. Apps typically offer options like QR Code, Code 128, Data Matrix, and others.
Choose Data Type (for QR Codes): If you select QR Code, you’ll often be presented with options for the type of data you want to encode, such as “Text,” “URL,” “Email,” “Phone Number,” “SMS,” “WiFi,” etc.
Enter the Data: Input the relevant information. For example, if you chose “URL,” enter the website address. If you selected “Text,” type in your text.
Generate and Save/Share: Tap a “checkmark” icon or a “Generate” button. The app will create your barcode, usually displaying it immediately on the screen. You can then typically save the barcode image to your phone’s gallery or share it directly.

5. Using createbarcodes.com for Online Barcode Creation

Createbarcodes.com is another dedicated online barcode generator offering a range of customization options. It’s a straightforward platform for creating barcodes for various purposes.

Visit createbarcodes.com: Open your web browser and go to createbarcodes.com.
Follow the Barcode Wizard: The site usually provides a step-by-step wizard to guide you through the barcode creation process.
Specify Barcode Details: You’ll be prompted to select the barcode type, enter data, and potentially customize settings like barcode size, resolution, and format.
Generate and Download: After configuring your barcode, generate it and download the image file.

Conclusion

Creating barcodes doesn’t require specialized expertise. With these methods, you can easily generate barcodes for a multitude of applications. Whether you need barcodes for inventory, product labeling, location sharing, or data encoding, the tools and steps outlined above provide accessible solutions for both personal and business needs. Start exploring these techniques and discover how barcodes can enhance efficiency and organization in your daily tasks and operations.