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ISSN Barcode Generator

Turn an ISSN into the EAN-13 barcode printed on magazines, journals and newspapers. Enter the seven digits and the mod-11 check digit, including X, is calculated, or enter all eight to validate. The tool adds the 977 prefix and the 00 variant, and you download PNG, SVG or PDF generated in your browser.

7 digits (check digit calculated) or 8 characters, e.g. 0378-5955.

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Your data stays on your device.

How does it work?

  1. 1Enter the seven digits of the ISSN (the check digit is computed) or all eight digits, where the last one may be X (it is validated).
  2. 2Check the valid/invalid indicator and the resulting EAN-13 digits shown with the barcode.
  3. 3Adjust bar width, bar height, colours and the human-readable digits.
  4. 4Download the barcode as PNG, SVG or a vector PDF.

What is ISSN Barcode Generator?

An ISSN (International Standard Serial Number) is an eight-digit identifier for a serial publication: a magazine, journal, newspaper or book series. It has seven digits plus a check digit computed modulo 11 with weights 8 to 2, and a result of 10 is written X. Each medium has its own ISSN, so the print and online editions of a title carry different numbers. ISSNs are assigned by national ISSN centres coordinated by the ISSN International Centre in Paris; this tool does not assign them.

On newsstands the ISSN is printed as an EAN-13: the prefix 977, the first seven digits of the ISSN (its own check digit is dropped), a two-digit price or variant code, then a new EAN-13 check digit. This tool uses the variant 00 and does not draw the small issue-number add-on some publishers append. An ISSN differs from an ISBN: an ISBN (978 or 979) identifies one edition of a book, while an ISSN identifies a title that keeps being published.

When should you use it?

  • You are a publisher preparing the cover barcode of a magazine or journal issue.
  • You want to check that an ISSN copied from a masthead is valid before printing.
  • Your distributor asks for the EAN-13 barcode that corresponds to your periodical's ISSN.
  • You need a sample periodical barcode for cataloguing work or software tests.

How the ISSN check digit works

Multiply the seven digits by 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3 and 2 and add the products. Divide by 11 and call the remainder r. The check digit is 11 minus r: if that is 10 it is written X, and if r is 0 the check digit is 0. Example: 0378595 gives 0 + 21 + 42 + 40 + 20 + 27 + 10 = 160; 160 mod 11 is 6, so the check digit is 5 and the ISSN is 0378-5955. The EAN-13 is 977 0378595 00 plus its own check digit 2: 9770378595002.

Privacy

This tool runs in your browser. What you type, paste or open is processed on your device by JavaScript and is not sent to our servers, stored or shared. Your data stays on your device.

The ISSN you enter is handled only in your browser. The barcode holds 977, your seven ISSN digits, the 00 variant and the EAN-13 check digit.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why does the barcode start with 977?

977 is the GS1 prefix reserved for serial publications identified by an ISSN, in the same way that 978 and 979 are reserved for books (ISBN).

What does the 00 after the ISSN mean?

It is a two-digit price or variant code that publishers use to tell editions or price versions apart. This generator always uses 00, so if your distributor gave you another variant number, this tool cannot draw it.

Why is the ISSN check digit not in the barcode?

The EAN-13 has its own check digit calculated over the twelve digits before it. The mod-11 check digit of the ISSN stays in the printed ISSN and is not part of the bars.

Does an ISSN barcode replace an ISBN?

No. Books and one-off publications use an ISBN, while continuing resources use an ISSN. A book series can have both: an ISSN for the series and an ISBN for each volume.

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