ISBN/EAN-13 Barcode Generator
Generate a scannable EAN-13 barcode SVG from an ISBN or 12/13-digit code.
What is the ISBN/EAN-13 Barcode Generator?
Every print book needs a scannable barcode on its back cover matching its ISBN-13, encoded as a standard EAN-13 barcode — the same symbology used on nearly every retail product worldwide. This tool generates a correct, scannable EAN-13 barcode as an SVG you can drop straight into your cover design.
How EAN-13 encoding works
An EAN-13 barcode encodes 13 digits (the 13th being a check digit calculated from the other 12) as 95 black-and-white modules: a start guard, six left-hand digits, a middle guard, six right-hand digits, and an end guard. The first of the 13 digits isn't drawn directly — instead it's encoded in which pattern set (two variants, called L and G) each of the six left-hand digits uses, a clever trick that lets the same physical barcode be read upside-down. This tool implements the standard L/G/R encoding tables and check-digit formula exactly as specified, and was verified against a known published EAN-13 example before release.
How to use it
- Enter your ISBN-13 without dashes (12 digits if you want the check digit calculated, or the full 13 to double-check an existing one).
- The barcode renders instantly with the human-readable digits underneath.
- Download the SVG and place it on your back cover at the size your print provider or KDP cover template specifies — SVG scales cleanly to any size without blurring.
KDP paperbacks generated through Amazon's own system typically get an auto-generated barcode already, but this is useful for custom covers, hybrid/hardcover printing through other providers, or double-checking a barcode you were given.