Interleaved 2 of 5 barcode generator

Make Interleaved 2 of 5 (ITF) barcodes for warehouse, distribution and industrial systems. Digits only, in pairs; we add a leading zero when the count is odd.

Digits only, an even number of them (we add a leading 0 if needed)

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 Interleaved 2 of 5?

Interleaved 2 of 5 is a numeric barcode that encodes digits in pairs: the first digit of each pair in the bars, the second in the spaces between them. That makes it compact for long numbers and easy to print, even on corrugated cardboard. It's standardised as ISO/IEC 16390.

CharactersDigits 0–9 only
LengthEven; a leading 0 is added to an odd-length number
Check digitOptional, system-specific
Quiet zoneAt least 10 bar widths each side

ITF or ITF-14?

ITF-14 is Interleaved 2 of 5 used for one job: a 14-digit GTIN on a shipping carton, with a thick bearer bar around it and a GS1 check digit. Use ITF-14 for cases of retail products. Use plain Interleaved 2 of 5 when a warehouse, carrier or machine asks for ITF with its own numbers.

How to make one

  1. Type the digits. Spaces and dashes are removed.
  2. If your system needs a check digit, include it in the number you type.
  3. Use a bar width of 0.4 mm or more for labels scanned from a distance.

Short ITF codes can be misread when a scanner catches only part of the symbol, so many systems fix the length they accept. Match the length your system expects.

Container cranes at the Port of Southampton
Container cranes at the Port of Southampton.

Questions

  • Digits are encoded in pairs, one in the bars and one in the spaces. An odd-length number gets a leading zero.

  • ITF-14 is a GS1 use of Interleaved 2 of 5 for 14-digit carton numbers, usually with a bearer bar. Plain ITF can be any even length.

  • No, digits only. Use Code 128 for letters.