EAN-8 Barcode Generator
100% private — runs on your device, never uploaded. Works offline once loaded.
EAN-8 exists for one reason: some packaging is simply too small to carry a full EAN-13 at a size a supermarket scanner can read. Chewing gum, cosmetics samples, single-serve sachets. It carries seven digits plus a check digit, and because there is no room for a company item reference, GS1 issues the whole number rather than a prefix you extend yourself. Type seven digits and the eighth is calculated here. At 100% magnification the symbol is about 26.7 × 21.6 mm — worth checking against your artwork before the print run.
A short number for small packaging
EAN-8 carries seven digits and a check digit, and it exists purely because some products are too small to take an EAN-13 at a size a till scanner can read: lip balms, single sachets, chewing gum, cosmetic samples. At 100% magnification the symbol is about 26.73 mm by 21.64 mm against EAN-13’s 37.29 mm, which is the whole point of it.
Because there is no room inside eight digits for a company prefix plus an item reference, GS1 does not issue EAN-8 prefixes for you to extend — it issues individual numbers, one per product, and treats them as a scarce resource. In practice that means you have to justify needing one rather than simply taking the next in your own range.
Before you choose EAN-8
The test is simple: will an EAN-13 fit at 80% magnification — about 29.8 mm wide — anywhere on the packaging, including the underside, a flap or a hang tag? If it will, use EAN-13. Retailers prefer it, your existing prefix already covers it, and you avoid applying for a separate number. EAN-8 is for the cases where the honest answer is no.
Making one here
Type the seven digits and the eighth is worked out and shown, or paste all eight and it is verified — with the correct digit named if it does not add up. Because the symbol is small to begin with, download the SVG rather than a PNG: it will be placed at an exact size in artwork, and a bitmap scaled by a page-layout program is where small barcodes lose their edges. The barcode generator has the same controls for every other type.
Frequently asked questions
When should I use EAN-8 instead of EAN-13?
Only when EAN-13 genuinely will not fit at 80% magnification or larger. GS1 treats EAN-8 as a restricted resource and issues the numbers individually rather than as a prefix.
Can I shorten an EAN-13 into an EAN-8?
No — they are separate numbers, not two views of the same one. An EAN-8 has to be issued to you in its own right.
Will an ordinary till scanner read it?
Yes. EAN-8 is part of the same retail family as EAN-13 and UPC-A, and point-of-sale scanners read all three.
How many digits does EAN-8 have?
Eight: seven data digits and a check digit. Type the seven here and the check digit is calculated for you.
Can I convert an EAN-13 to an EAN-8?
No. They are separate numbers issued separately — an EAN-8 is not a shortened form of anything, and it has to be allocated to your product in its own right.
Will supermarket scanners read EAN-8?
Yes. It is part of the same retail family as EAN-13 and UPC-A, and point-of-sale equipment reads all of them.
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