GS1 Digital Link QR code & barcode generator
Turn a GTIN, with an optional batch, expiry date and serial number, into a GS1 Digital Link URI and QR code, next to the UPC or EAN barcode for the same product.
- Free · in your browser
- SVG + PNG
- Sunrise 2027 ready
1 · Product
GTIN-14 · 09506000134352
AI 17 = 271231 (YYMMDD)
GS1's resolver. It redirects to links registered by the company that licensed the GTIN.
(01)09506000134352(17)271231(10)ABC123QR CodeEAN-13Keep this barcode on pack: most checkouts still scan it.
GS1 Digital Link
One QR code for the checkout and the phone
GS1 Digital Link is the GS1 standard for writing product identifiers as a web address. The GTIN printed under a UPC or EAN barcode becomes part of a URL, so the same code can be scanned at the till and opened by any phone camera.
Retailers are moving checkout scanners to 2D codes under Sunrise 2027, and the UPC stays on pack during the change. Read the Sunrise 2027 guide for what it means for your packaging.
How the URI is built
Key qualifiers go in the path in a fixed order and other attributes go in the query string. Values outside letters, digits and - . _ ~ are percent-encoded.
https://id.gs1.org/01/09506000134352/10/ABC123/21/A1?17=271231 https://id.gs1.org resolver /01/09506000134352 GTIN, 14 digits (AI 01) /10/ABC123 batch/lot (AI 10) /21/A1 serial number (AI 21) ?17=271231 expiry date, YYMMDD (AI 17)
| AI | Field | Goes in | Rule |
|---|---|---|---|
01 | GTIN | Path | Primary key. Always 14 digits: shorter GTINs get leading zeros. |
22 | Consumer product variant | Path | Optional key qualifier, before batch. Not offered here. |
10 | Batch/lot | Path | Optional key qualifier, up to 20 characters. |
21 | Serial number | Path | Optional key qualifier, up to 20 characters. Comes after the batch. |
17 | Expiry date | Query | Data attribute, written as ?17=YYMMDD. |
Need codes in bulk? The barcode API returns the same QR code with type=digitallink.
FAQ
Digital Link questions
Only need a linear barcode? The online generator makes UPC, EAN and eight other formats.
What is a GS1 Digital Link QR code?
A QR code whose content is a web address built to the GS1 Digital Link standard. The address carries the product's GTIN and, optionally, its batch, expiry date and serial number, so a phone camera opens a web page while a 2D-capable checkout scanner reads the GTIN from the same code.
Do I still need the UPC or EAN barcode?
Yes. GS1 US says the UPC is not going away, and shoppers will see a 2D code next to the UPC during the transition. Many checkout scanners still only read linear barcodes, so print both. This page draws the matching UPC-A, EAN-13, EAN-8 or ITF-14 next to the QR code.
What is Sunrise 2027?
An industry goal, led by GS1 US, for retail checkout scanners to read 2D barcodes such as QR codes with GS1 Digital Link and GS1 DataMatrix, alongside today's 1D barcodes, by the end of 2027. It is a milestone for scanners, not a deadline to remove the UPC.
Should I use id.gs1.org or my own domain?
Both are valid: the standard lets a GS1 Digital Link URI use any domain. id.gs1.org is the GS1 resolver and only redirects to links registered by the company that licensed the GTIN. With your own domain, your web server must answer the /01/ paths, for example by redirecting to the product page.
Why is the expiry date in the query string?
In GS1 Digital Link the GTIN is the primary key and batch and serial number are key qualifiers, so they form the path in a fixed order: /01/, then /10/, then /21/. Other data, such as the expiry date (AI 17), are attributes and go in the query string as ?17=YYMMDD.
When should I pick GS1 DataMatrix instead?
When a trading partner asks for it, as is common in healthcare. Here the DataMatrix holds the GS1 element string, with an FNC1 start, rather than a web address, so a phone camera shows the raw data instead of opening a page.
How big should I print the QR code?
The SVG export uses 0.5 mm per module with a 4-module quiet zone, which suits most consumer packs. More data means more modules, so a longer URI makes a bigger code. Check your GS1 Member Organisation's size guidance for your pack and printing method.
Is anything I enter uploaded?
No. The URI, QR code and barcode are built in your browser, and nothing you type is sent to a server or stored.