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.
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
Length matches and the check digit verifies — the format is confirmed.
Length or structural shape matches but there's no check digit to verify (e.g. UPC-E, QR text).
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.