PDF417 Barcode Generator

Make PDF417 barcodes in bulk for shipping, documents and forms. Each line of your list, or each row of a spreadsheet, becomes one barcode, up to several hundred characters.

Runs in your browser. Nothing is uploaded.
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Your data

2

Barcode

3

Label sheet

Printer alignment

Print one test page on plain paper, hold it over a label sheet, and adjust if the barcodes sit off-centre. "Skip used labels" starts printing after labels already peeled off a partly used sheet.

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Download

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    What PDF417 is good for

    PDF417 is a stacked 2D barcode: rows of small barcodes on top of each other. It holds much more than a linear barcode, around 1,800 text characters at most, and its error correction lets damaged codes still scan.

    It is used on shipping and transport documents, boarding passes, invoices and forms, where a whole record has to travel with the paper. It is wider than tall, so it suits long labels better than square ones.

    How to make PDF417 barcodes in bulk

    1. Put the data for each barcode on one line. Separate fields with a character your system expects, such as | or ;.
    2. To print readable text under it, add a Tab and a short title; the second column prints under the barcode.
    3. Pick a wide label, such as A4 14 per sheet or 4×6 inch, and download the PDF.

    Keep each barcode's data as short as the job allows: the more text, the taller the barcode and the smaller each module once it is fitted to the label.

    Can phones scan PDF417?

    Many barcode scanner apps can, and 2D imager scanners read it. Classic laser scanners cannot. Test with the scanner you will use.

    How much data fits in a PDF417 barcode?

    Up to about 1,800 text characters or 2,700 digits in one symbol, but practical labels hold far less so the modules stay big enough to scan.

    PDF417 or QR code?

    QR codes are better for links people open with a phone. PDF417 fits long, narrow spaces and is required by some document and transport standards.

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