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ISBN Barcode Generator

Turn an ISBN-10 or ISBN-13 into a scannable EAN-13 barcode for your back cover.

Paste your number, confirm the check digit, and download a black-on-white PNG. Built for authors and publishers preparing KDP, IngramSpark, or printer files.

Generate your barcode
ISBN-10 is converted to ISBN-13 automatically

Hyphens and spaces are fine. Example: 9781234567897

Enter an ISBN to preview the barcode.

What is an ISBN barcode?

An ISBN (International Standard Book Number) uniquely identifies a book edition. The barcode on the back cover is that ISBN encoded as EAN-13 so point-of-sale scanners can read it. The 13 digits break into prefix (978 or 979), registration group, registrant, publication, and a check digit.

Dealers, libraries, and online retailers use the barcode to look up the title and confirm stock. A mistyped check digit will not scan — which is why this generator validates before it draws.

Why use this generator?

01 Retail-ready EAN-13

Bookstores and Amazon print-on-demand expect an EAN-13 barcode that encodes your ISBN-13. This tool draws that barcode to industry proportions.

02 ISBN-10 or ISBN-13

Paste either format. ISBN-10 values are converted to ISBN-13 (978 + check digit) before the barcode is drawn, so older identifiers still work.

03 Check-digit validation

Invalid numbers are rejected before you download. If the last digit is wrong, you see the expected check digit instead of a barcode that will not scan.

04 Print-ready PNG

Download a high-contrast black barcode with human-readable digits underneath — the usual placement on the back cover, above the barcode box.

05 Free for authors

No watermark, no account. Generate as many barcodes as you need while you set up KDP, IngramSpark, or a printer file.

How to use this tool

1

Enter your ISBN

Paste a 10- or 13-digit ISBN. Hyphens and spaces are stripped automatically.

2

Generate the barcode

Click Generate. A valid number draws an EAN-13 barcode with the digits printed below the bars.

3

Download the PNG

Save the image and place it on the back cover, inside KDP’s barcode area (or leave KDP to stamp its own if you prefer).

Frequently asked questions

The ISBN is the 13-digit identifier. The barcode is that number encoded as an EAN-13 symbol so a scanner can read it. Retailers need both: the digits in metadata and the barcode on the physical cover.
Yes. Enter the 10-digit ISBN (the last character may be X). The tool converts it to ISBN-13 with a 978 prefix and a new check digit, then draws the EAN-13 barcode retailers expect.
On the back cover, usually in the lower-right area. KDP’s cover template includes a barcode box. Keep the bars high-contrast (black on white) and do not stretch the image. Leave quiet space around the symbol.
No. Amazon can add a barcode for you. Upload your own if you already have an ISBN from Bowker, Nielsen, or another agency and want that ISBN encoded — not Amazon’s free ISBN — on the printed book.
The check digit did not match. ISBN-13 uses a weighted 1–3 sum; ISBN-10 uses a modulo-11 check (X means 10). The error message shows the digit expected so a typing error can be corrected.
Download the PNG and place it at a size of roughly 1.75 × 1.0 in (or follow your printer’s template). Do not upsample a tiny file. Black bars on a white background scan most reliably.

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