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barcodes.tools

Aztec code generator

Type text or numbers and the Aztec code is drawn as you type. It is a small square 2D symbol, often used for tickets and passes shown on a phone screen.

Text or numbers. The size follows the length of the text.

13.5 × 13.5 mm printed size, module 0.5 mm.Encodes TICKET 0042 / SEAT 12C / GATE 7

Need many? Make a batch or a label sheet.

Print check: whole dots and a read-back test

Use the resolution in your printer’s settings or data sheet.

At 300 dpi one dot is 0.085 mm, so your module of 0.5 mm is 5.91 dots. A printer places whole dots, so bars of the same width may come out a dot apart in width.

Read-back test

This is a quick test of the data, not a print-quality grade, and your scanner may behave differently. Test-scan a real print before a run.

Size and colour

mm
mod.
#000000
#FFFFFF

What is an Aztec code?

An Aztec code is a square 2D barcode with a target of concentric squares in the middle, which the scanner uses to find the code and its orientation. The data is laid out in rings around that target, so a larger amount of data adds more rings and the symbol grows from the centre outwards.

It has error correction built in, so a smudged or partly hidden code can still be read. The encoder chooses the size and the amount of error correction itself; you set only the width of one module.

Where it is used

  • Rail and transport tickets
  • Boarding passes and event tickets shown on a phone screen
  • Passes and vouchers that a reader checks at a gate
  • Short records on small labels

What it holds

What a Aztec barcode holds
Aztec
CharactersText and numbers; this site takes up to 1,200 characters
ShapeSquare, with a target of concentric squares in the centre
SizeChosen by the encoder; it grows with the amount of text
Error correctionBuilt in, set by the encoder
ReadingNeeds a camera-based (2D) scanner or a phone app that reads Aztec

Printing Aztec barcodes

  • Keep a blank margin around the code and do not crop it. The default here is 2 modules.
  • Do not stretch the image. Change the module width here, so the squares stay square.
  • Shorter text makes a smaller code that is easier to read from a screen or a small label. Put a long link in a QR Code instead.
  • Ask the receiver which format its readers accept before you print: some systems are set up for Aztec only, others for QR Code or PDF417.
  • Print one sample on the printer and label stock you will use, and scan it with the scanners that have to read it, before a full run.

Need a sheet of them? The batch generator makes up to 1,000 Aztec barcodes at once and lays them out on Letter or A4 label sheets.

Questions about Aztec

Aztec or QR Code?

Both are square 2D codes. QR Code is what phone camera apps open as a link, and many of them do not read Aztec. Use Aztec when the system that reads it asks for it, as some ticket and pass systems do. For a link people open with their phone, use QR Code.

Aztec or Data Matrix?

Both stay small for short data. Data Matrix has an L-shaped border and is common on parts and healthcare packs; Aztec has a target in the middle. Pick the one your reader or customer specifies.

Why does the code change shape when I type more?

The encoder adds rings around the central target as the text gets longer, so the code gets bigger while the module stays the width you set. Shorten the text if the printed size gets too large for your label.

Can I read an Aztec code on this site?

Yes. The Scanner page reads Aztec from the camera or from a picture, and shows the text it holds.

Does the print check test Aztec?

It shows how many printer dots a module takes and offers whole-dot widths, then reads the drawn code back in your browser. It tests the data and the size, not your printer or paper, so test-scan a real print.

Sources

  • bwip-js

    The open-source library that draws the barcodes on this site (MIT licence).

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