Barcode Font: Free Code 39 and Code 128 Barcode Fonts

Free Barcode Fonts on Google Fonts

The best free barcode font family is Libre Barcode on Google Fonts. All versions are free under the SIL Open Font License, so you can use them for business labels too.

• Libre Barcode 39: the standard code 39 font (font barcode code 39).
• Libre Barcode 39 Extended: adds lowercase and more symbols using Full ASCII Code 39.
• Libre Barcode 128: a barcode font 128 version that needs encoded text.
• Libre Barcode EAN13 Text: for EAN 13 style bars.

Most versions also come as "Text" fonts, which print the readable barcode number font under the bars. Get them from fonts.google.com.

How a Barcode Font Works

A barcode font is a normal font file, but each letter is drawn as a pattern of bars instead of a letter shape. When you set text in it, the bars for each character sit side by side. A scanner reads the pattern and sends the original text back, just like typing it on a keyboard.

This makes a barcode font cheap and fast for simple jobs: stock labels, library cards, ID badges, asset tags and class projects. But the text must follow the rules of the barcode type, or the bars will look fine and still fail to scan.

Code 39 Barcode Font (3 of 9)

Code 39, also called Code 3 of 9 or barcode 39, is the easiest barcode font to use. It supports capital letters A to Z, digits 0 to 9, space and a few symbols (- . $ / + %).

• Add an asterisk at both ends. The * is the start and stop character. To encode ABC123, type *ABC123*. Without the asterisks most scanners will not read it.
• Use capitals. Standard Code 39 has no lowercase letters. If you need lowercase or more symbols, use Libre Barcode 39 Extended and make sure your scanner has Full ASCII Code 39 turned on.
• No checksum needed for most uses, which is why Code 39 works by just typing.

The free 3 of 9 barcode font, or barcode 39 font, on Google Fonts is Libre Barcode 39. Pick the Text version if you want the code printed in readable digits below the bars.

Code 128 Barcode Font Needs Encoding

Code 128 is more compact than Code 39 and can hold all letters, digits and symbols. But a Code 128 barcode font does not work if you just type plain text. Every Code 128 barcode needs a start character, a checksum character that is calculated from the data, and a stop character. Code 128 also has sets (A, B and C) for different kinds of data.

So the correct steps are: run your text through a Code 128 encoder (an online encoder, a spreadsheet formula or a small macro), then set the encoded result in Libre Barcode 128. The encoded string may look like random symbols, and that is normal. If you skip encoding, the bars print but scanners reject them.

Barcode Font for Excel and Word

Need a font barcode for Excel? Here is how to use a barcode font in Excel:

1. Download Libre Barcode 39 from fonts.google.com, unzip it and install the .ttf file. Close and reopen Excel.
2. Put your codes in column A in capitals, for example ITEM001.
3. In B2 type ="*"&A2&"*" and fill it down. This adds the asterisks.
4. Select column B, change the font to Libre Barcode 39 and set the size to around 28 to 40 so the bars are tall and clear.

A barcode font for Word works the same way: type the code with asterisks, select it and change the font. For many labels, use Mail Merge with an Excel sheet. If you share the file, the other person also needs the font installed, or save it as a PDF. Our free font download guide explains safe installs on Windows and Mac.

UPC, EAN 13, QR and Data Matrix: When a Font Is Not Enough

• UPC and EAN 13 for retail. A UPC font or an EAN 13 barcode font can draw the bars, but the number itself must be a registered number. Shops and online marketplaces expect codes issued by GS1 (in India, GS1 India). These codes also have a check digit and special guard bars, so use label software or a trusted generator. Never make up a retail number.
• QR codes and Data Matrix. These are 2D codes made of squares, not a row of bars. A qr barcode font or datamatrix font is not something you can simply type in. Use a QR code generator or label software that builds the full image for you, then insert it as a picture.
• Many labels or strict standards. For shipping labels or audits, label software or a text to barcode generator built for that standard is safer than a font.

Printing and Scanning Tips

• Test before you print a batch. Scan a sample with a phone barcode app or your shop scanner.
• Leave blank space (a quiet zone) on the left and right of the bars. Do not let borders or text touch them.
• Print black on white. Coloured or light bars, and shiny paper, cause scan errors.
• Do not squash the barcode. Stretching or very small sizes break the bar widths. Make it bigger if scans fail.
• Keep the readable number nearby so a person can type it if the scan fails. The Text versions do this for you.

For plain digit styles to use in designs, see our number fonts page, and for more free families browse our Google Fonts guide.