Aztec Code Generator

Make Aztec codes, the square 2D barcode with a bullseye in the middle, used on boarding passes, rail and event tickets. Encode up to 1,500 characters.

Any text, up to about 1,500 characters

Change the bar width, height and text here. The barcode on the left is drawn at the size it will print, so at 100% zoom it should match a ruler held to the screen.

PNG and JPG files store their resolution, so Word, Canva and label software place them at this size.

Colours

Dark bars on a light background scan best. Most scanners use red light, so red, orange and yellow bars read as blank.

What is an Aztec code?

Aztec Code is a 2D barcode built around a square bullseye at its centre. Scanners find the bullseye first, then read the layers of data around it, so an Aztec code needs no blank margin and reads well from screens and curved surfaces. It was invented in 1995 and is standardised as ISO/IEC 24778.

StandardISO/IEC 24778
CapacityUp to 3,832 digits, 3,067 letters or 1,914 bytes
ShapeSquare, 15×15 to 151×151 cells, bullseye in the centre
Quiet zoneNone required
Error correctionAdjustable; 23% of the symbol by default

Where Aztec codes are used

  • Air travel. The IATA boarding pass standard allows Aztec codes on mobile boarding passes, and many airlines use them.
  • Rail and public transport tickets, printed at home or shown on a phone.
  • Event tickets and passes, where codes are shown on screens of all sizes.
  • Government documents, such as vehicle registration papers in some countries.

How to make one

  1. Type or paste the data. Line breaks are kept.
  2. Choose the error correction: Medium suits most uses; choose High for tickets that get folded or scuffed.
  3. Pick the cell size (0.4 mm is a good start for print) and download SVG, PDF or PNG.
  4. Test it with the scanner or app that will read it. The barcode checker reads Aztec codes too.
Pallet racking in a distribution warehouse
Pallet racking in a distribution warehouse.

Questions

  • For tickets on screens, Aztec is often preferred because it needs no blank margin and its bullseye is easy to find. QR codes are better known by the public and more phone camera apps open them as links.

  • No. That's one of its advantages: it can sit right up against other print.

  • Many barcode scanner apps and our online scanner can. Some built-in phone camera apps only open QR codes.