Used by 700,000+ people
Free Code 93 barcode generator.
Code 93 fits capitals, digits and seven symbols into a narrower linear barcode than Code 39. Type your data; the generator appends both check characters.
How to create a Code 93 barcode
-
01
Type the data without check characters
Enter
ABC-1234-/+only. Typed check characters count as data:ABC-1234-/+2Cgets two new ones. -
02
Give each module whole printer dots
Bars and spaces come in four widths. Set Resolution (dpi) to your printer's and Module width to Pixel: 4 pixels at 300 dpi are 0.3387 mm.
-
03
Download PNG and plan the margins
Place the PNG unscaled. The file ends at the first and last bar, so leave 10 modules clear at each end, at least 6.35 mm.
What is Code 93?
Code 93 is a linear barcode for the 43 characters of Code 39: 0–9, A–Z, space and - . $ / + %. Each character takes 9 modules, three bars and three spaces of 1 to 4 modules, so the same data needs less width. Intermec introduced it in 1982. Two check characters, C and K, follow the data. Canada Post accepts Code 93 on Machineable Mail.
Where Code 93 is used: mail, print streams, phone apps
Canada Post accepts Code 93 as a customer barcode on Machineable Mail, left of or above the address block; Code 39 qualifies only after testing, and Code 128 is not listed. AFP, a print architecture for high-volume transaction printing, has Code 93 built in.
Google's ML Kit, a scanning library for Android and iOS apps, reads it, and Zebra's DS8208 scanners decode it by default. Volkswagen's GTL guideline 1.3 of 2022 no longer permits Code 93 in the supplier field E1, unless a goods recipient agrees case by case.
A third narrower than Code 39, with two checks
A Code 39 character needs 16 modules at a 3:1 ratio, gap included; a Code 93 character needs 9. ABC-1234-/+ therefore takes 136 modules instead of 207; Code 128 would need 156.
Both checks are modulo 47, and K also covers C. The AFP bar code reference (BCOCA) recommends as defaults a 0.33 mm (13 mils) module and bars 6.35 mm or 15% of the symbol width high, whichever is greater. The drawing shows the example at these values.
Plain Code 93 online, Code 93 Extended in TEC-IT software
The online generator downloads Code 93 as GIF, PNG or JPG for free; SVG and higher print resolution come with a plan. Without an account it makes one barcode at a time; for many at once, sign in for free and use a data sheet.
Lower case and control characters need Code 93 Extended, which pairs one of four shift characters with a second character. TBarCode SDK and Barcode Studio create it; the online generator offers plain Code 93. Barcode Studio also imports CSV lists and counts up serial numbers.
Code 93 at a glance
- Type
- Linear (1D), variable length
- Specification
- AIM USS Code 93
- Character set
- 0–9, A–Z, space, - . $ / + %; 4 shift characters
- Symbol character
- 9 modules: 3 bars, 3 spaces of 1–4 modules
- Check characters
- C and K, modulo 47, not in the text line
- Module width (X)
- At least 0.19 mm (TEC-IT)
- Quiet zone
- 10X, at least 6.35 mm (TEC-IT)
Calculating C and K for ABC-1234-/+
Values: 0–9 for digits, 10–35 for A–Z, 36–42 for - . space $ / + %. Weights run from the right: 1–20 for C, 1–15 for K, then restart.
| Character | A | B | C | - | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | - | / | + | C = 2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Value | 10 | 11 | 12 | 36 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 36 | 40 | 41 | 2 |
| Weight for C | 11 | 10 | 9 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 | – |
| Weight for K | 12 | 11 | 10 | 9 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 |
C: 895 = 19 × 47 + 2, so C is 2. K: 1093 = 23 × 47 + 12, so K is C. With start, stop and a 1-module termination bar: 15 × 9 + 1 = 136 modules. The generator's renders match.
Printing Code 93: dots and margins
| Printer | Dots per module | 1, 2, 3 and 4 modules |
|---|---|---|
| 203 dpi | 3 | 0.375, 0.751, 1.126, 1.501 mm |
| 300 dpi | 4 | 0.339, 0.677, 1.016, 1.355 mm |
- Quiet zone. At 0.33 mm, 10 modules are only 3.3 mm; keep 6.35 mm.
- A space as first character. Per TEC-IT's reference, a scanner can then join the symbol to the next one.
Code 93 compared with related barcodes
Same 43 characters at 16 modules each; optional mod 43 check. Use it where a specification names it.
All 128 ASCII characters, digits packed in pairs, one mod 103 check: 20 digits take 145 modules, not 217.
Digits and the hyphen only; not self-checking, so TEC-IT's reference recommends two check digits.
Telepen Alpha accepts all 128 ASCII characters, lower case included, which plain Code 93 refuses.
Frequently asked questions
Learn more about Code 93.
What is the difference between Code 39 and Code 93?
How are the Code 93 check characters calculated?
Can a Code 93 barcode contain lower-case letters?
How long can a Code 93 barcode be?
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