Barcode Type Detector
Paste any barcode value and we'll tell you whether it's UPC, EAN, GTIN, ISBN or a QR Code payload — with confidence and a recommended next tool. It strips spaces, hyphens, dots and underscores, then checks the GS1 mod-10 or ISBN-10 mod-11 check digit of each UPC-A, EAN, GTIN-14 and ISBN candidate.
Spaces, hyphens, dots and underscores are ignored. Detection runs entirely in your browser.
Detection
Paste a barcode value to identify the format. Each match comes with a confidence level and a direct link to the right validator.
Supported Formats
Every format the detector can identify, with the rules used to spot it.
| Format | Length | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| UPC-A | 12 digits | US/Canada retail. GTIN-12. |
| UPC-E | 6–8 digits | Compressed UPC for small packages. |
| EAN-8 | 8 digits | Short EAN. GTIN-8. |
| EAN-13 | 13 digits | Global retail standard. GTIN-13. |
| GTIN-14 | 14 digits | ITF-14 cartons and cases. |
| ISBN-10 | 10 chars | Legacy book identifier (mod-11). |
| ISBN-13 | 13 digits | 978/979 prefix — modern book ID. |
| QR / Text | Variable | URLs and free-text payloads. |
How Confidence Is Scored
Each candidate gets one of three confidence levels, set by whether its length matches and whether a check digit could be verified.
- High confidence Length matches and the check digit verifies — the format is confirmed.
- Medium confidence Length or structural shape matches but there's no check digit to verify (e.g. UPC-E, QR text).
- Low confidence Length matches a known format, but the check digit fails. Probably a typo or a different format altogether.
About this barcode type detector
This barcode type detector takes a raw barcode value — typed, pasted from a scanner, or copied from a spreadsheet — and identifies the most likely format. It runs the correct check-digit algorithm for each candidate (GS1 mod-10 for UPC / EAN / GTIN, mod-11 for ISBN-10) and reports confidence so you can tell a confirmed match from a length-only guess.
Use it to settle UPC vs EAN questions, decide whether a 13-digit number is an ISBN-13, or pick the right validator for an unfamiliar code.
When to Use It
- Identifying an unknown number pulled from an invoice or product feed.
- Deciding whether a 13-digit code is an EAN-13 or an ISBN-13 before lookup.
- Telling apart a UPC-A and a compressed UPC-E from a shelf-edge label.
- Routing a scanned value to the right validator instead of guessing.
- Detecting that a copied string is actually a QR Code URL, not a numeric barcode.
How It Works
- Paste the value Type or paste a barcode. Spaces, hyphens, dots and underscores are stripped automatically.
- Length match We line up the cleaned value against every standard barcode length (6, 7, 8, 10, 12, 13, 14).
- Check digit Each candidate is verified with the right algorithm — GS1 mod-10 for GTINs, mod-11 for ISBN-10.
- Confidence score Length + valid check digit → high. Length only → low. URL / text payload → medium.
- Next-tool suggestion Every candidate links straight to the matching ReadBarcode tool — UPC Lookup, EAN Lookup, GTIN Validator, ISBN Reader or QR Reader.
What to Avoid
- Pasting a multi-line list — the detector evaluates a single value at a time.
- Treating a low-confidence match as confirmed; the value may just happen to have the right length.
- Relying on detection alone for ISBN-10 codes — booksellers normally re-issue them as ISBN-13.
- Forgetting that 12-digit UPC-A and 13-digit EAN-13 ‘0+UPC' encode the same GTIN.
- Mistaking an internal SKU that happens to be 12 digits for a real UPC — the check digit usually fails.
Tips & Tricks
- Use the example chips below to see how high-confidence matches are reported.
- If you see two ‘high' candidates (EAN-13 and ISBN-13 for a 978-prefixed value), both are correct — pick the lookup that fits your goal.
- Suspect a GTIN type? Run the cleaned value through the GTIN Validator to confirm.
- When the result is Unknown, double-check you didn't paste extra characters from a spreadsheet (apostrophes, BOM).
- For UPC-E payloads, expand to UPC-A in the UPC Lookup tool before doing any product search.
What Type of Barcode Is This?
Paste the digits printed under the bars into the detector above and it lists every format they fit, each with a confidence level. A few patterns come up often when people check barcode type:
- 14 digits starting with 0 are a shorter GTIN padded with leading zeros, which leave the check digit unchanged.
- 13 digits starting with 2 are a GS1 restricted circulation number for use inside one company or region, so public lookups rarely list them.
- Numbers in parentheses, such as (01) followed by 14 digits, form a GS1 element string; paste only the 14 digits after (01) to test that GTIN.
- Letters mixed with digits are reported as QR / Text. That only rules out a GTIN or ISBN, since 1D symbologies such as Code 128 and Code 39 carry letters too.
Barcode Identifier Online for Numbers
This barcode identifier is free, works on typed or pasted numbers, and runs in your browser with no account.
It suits barcode identification from text, such as an invoice line or a product feed, one value at a time. The barcode type identifier reads the number, not the bars, so it cannot tell a UPC-A symbol from a Code 128 symbol carrying the same 12 digits. The guide to common barcode formats explains where each one is used.
Identify a Barcode From an Image
The detector does not accept photos. To identify the barcode type from a picture, use read a barcode from an image, which names the symbology it decodes, such as EAN-13 or Code 128. Paste the decoded value here to test its check digit.
Frequently Asked Questions
How does the barcode type detector decide what format I pasted?
It cleans whitespace and hyphens from your input, checks the length, then runs the right check-digit algorithm for each candidate — GS1 mod-10 for GTIN-8/12/13/14 and mod-11 for ISBN-10. A matching check digit means high confidence; a length-only match means lower confidence.
What's the difference between UPC and EAN?
UPC-A is 12 digits, used mainly in the US and Canada. EAN-13 is 13 digits, used worldwide. Any UPC-A can be expressed as an EAN-13 by prefixing a zero — the detector flags both possibilities when relevant.
How Do I Tell If a 13-Digit Number Is an ISBN-13 or an EAN-13?
ISBN-13s always start with the 978 or 979 GS1 prefix (Bookland). The detector calls these out as ISBN-13 candidates and notes that they're simultaneously valid EAN-13s.
Does It Work for QR Code Payloads?
Yes — if your input contains non-digit characters or a URL scheme, the detector flags it as a QR / Text payload and points you to the QR Code Reader.
Can It Detect a GTIN-14 From Just the Number?
Yes. Any 14-digit numeric value with a valid GS1 check digit is treated as a GTIN-14 / ITF-14 — the carton-level identifier used in logistics.
What If No Format Matches?
If the length isn't a standard barcode length and there's no obvious text payload, the detector returns Unknown with a reason. Try the Online Barcode Reader to scan the source image instead of typing.
Can I Find a Product by Its Barcode?
Not on this page: the detector names the format and checks the digits, but it has no product database. Open a UPC or EAN result in UPC Lookup or EAN Lookup, which validate the code and link out to a Google search and a third-party barcode database for that number. Codes starting with 2 and internal SKUs rarely appear in any public catalog.
What Is a Barcode Identifier?
It is a tool that names the format of a barcode value, such as UPC-A, EAN-13 or ISBN-13, from its length, prefix and check digit. The term is also used for the number itself, for example the GTIN a brand assigns to a product. This page is the first kind, and the GTIN Validator or ISBN Barcode Reader then checks the number in detail.