Make an ISBN barcode for a book
Type your book's ISBN. We check it, turn a 10-digit ISBN into the 13-digit one barcodes use, and print the ISBN above the bars.
Your codes are made in your browser. Nothing you type is sent anywhere.
The 13-digit ISBN, or a 10-digit one from an older book. Type the hyphens if you want them printed above the bars.
We draw the barcode for a number you already have. ISBNs come from your country's ISBN agency, not from GS1. Each edition and format (hardback, paperback, ebook) needs its own.
How to make an ISBN barcode for a book
- 01Type the ISBN for this edition, with hyphens if you want them printed.
- 02Check the ISBN line shown under the field.
- 03Choose a print size. 100% is the standard for book covers.
- 04Select Test scan, then download the SVG for your cover designer, or the PNG.
Questions
Where do I get an ISBN?
From your country's ISBN agency (for example, Bowker in the US or Nielsen in the UK). Some countries give them free. Each edition and format, such as hardback, paperback, and ebook, needs its own. We draw the barcode; we can't issue ISBNs.
My ISBN has 10 digits. Can I still make a barcode?
Yes. Book barcodes always use 13 digits, so we put 978 in front and work out a new check digit. The ISBN line above the bars shows the 13-digit ISBN.
Where do the hyphens go?
They split the ISBN into parts that depend on your country and publisher, so we can't guess them. Type the ISBN with hyphens as your agency gave it, and we print it that way. Without hyphens, we print the digits only.
Can I add the price (the small second barcode)?
Not yet. Some US bookshops expect a 5-digit price barcode beside the ISBN. This page makes the main ISBN barcode, which is what every bookshop scans.
What size should it be on the cover?
At 100% the barcode is 37.29 mm wide. Keep it at 80% or larger, black on white, away from the spine fold.
Do you see my ISBN?
No. Your codes are made in your browser. Nothing you type is sent anywhere.
Related tools
QR Code is a registered trademark of DENSO WAVE INCORPORATED. Codes are read back with ZXing-C++ and zxing-wasm (licences).