Used by 700,000+ people
Free MaxiCode barcode generator.
MaxiCode is the fixed-size 2D code with a bull's-eye that UPS invented; its special modes serve parcel sorting. Create a general-data symbol of up to 93 capitals or 138 digits.
How to create a MaxiCode
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01
Type the data, in capitals where you can
Capitals, digits, space and punctuation such as - . / : take one codeword each; lower-case letters cost extra.
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02
Leave Module width at Fit
Fit keeps the fixed size: 26.2 × 25.1 mm at 300 dpi. Set Resolution (dpi) to your printer's; higher resolution comes with a plan.
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03
Download, keep a margin, test the scan
Place the PNG at 100% with one module of white space around it, then scan a test print.
What MaxiCode is and how UPS uses it
MaxiCode, specified in ISO/IEC 16023, is a matrix code of fixed size: offset rows of hexagonal modules around a bull's-eye. UPS uses its modes 2 and 3, which carry postal code, country code and class of service for sorting. This online MaxiCode generator makes mode 4 symbols for general data; for the UPS modes, use TBarCode SDK.
Where MaxiCode is used: carrier sorting and UPS parcels
ISO/IEC 16023 gives MaxiCode special modes for destination sorting by carriers in the transport industry. UPS invented the code, TEC-IT's Barcode Reference notes, and uses mode 2 for numeric US postal codes and mode 3 for international ones with letters.
In both modes the primary message holds the sort data: postal code, country code and class of service. The secondary message carries the rest: in TEC-IT's UPS example, tracking number, carrier code, account number, collection day, package count, weight and the destination city and state.
One fixed footprint, two levels of error correction
Every MaxiCode has the same footprint, whatever it holds: 1.11 × 1.054 inches (28.2 × 26.8 mm) in TEC-IT's reference. A label layout reserves one fixed box for it; the AFP Consortium's printer architecture even ignores height settings for MaxiCode.
Reed-Solomon error correction works at two levels. In modes 2, 3, 4 and 6 the primary message gets the enhanced level, the rest the standard one: the UPS modes protect their sort data better. Mode 5 uses the enhanced level throughout.
Image formats, UPS modes and TEC-IT software
The online generator downloads GIF, PNG and JPG, and SVG vector files with a plan. One symbol needs no account; for a series, sign in free and use a data sheet. Every symbol is mode 4: a carrier-format message is encoded in full, but without its postal code in the primary message.
For UPS modes 2 and 3, TBarCode SDK sets the mode and the carrier fields, or reads them from the data string. Barcode Studio exports MaxiCode series from CSV files, also by command line.
MaxiCode at a glance
- Type
- 2D matrix code of hexagons around a bull's-eye
- Standard
- ISO/IEC 16023:2000, confirmed in 2020
- Size
- Fixed: 1.11 × 1.054 in (28.2 × 26.8 mm) in TEC-IT's reference
- Character set
- Latin-1 (ISO 8859-1); others via ECI
- Capacity
- 93 alphanumeric or 138 numeric characters; up to 8 linked symbols
- Error correction
- Reed-Solomon, at two levels
- Quiet zone
- 1 module on all sides (TEC-IT)
MaxiCode modes and the structured carrier message
| Mode | Purpose | Data |
|---|---|---|
| 2 | Carrier message, numeric postal code | Postal code of 1–9 digits; country code and class of service of 1–3 digits each; further data |
| 3 | Carrier message, alphanumeric postal code | Postal code of 1–6 characters, padded with spaces; rest as mode 2 |
| 4 | Standard symbol | 93 codewords |
| 5 | Full error correction | 77 codewords |
| 6 | Reader programming | 93 codewords that set up the scanner |
Group separators (GS) divide the three carrier fields. A header of [)>, RS, 01, GS and a two-digit year may precede them, marking a message that follows open system standards.
Before you print: size and margin
- Size. A module width of 0.5 mm shrinks the symbol from 26.2 × 25.1 mm at Fit to 14.9 × 14.3 mm: keep Fit unless your specification says otherwise.
- Margin. The image ends at the outer hexagons. TEC-IT recommends one module of white space on all sides: 0.87 mm at its default module width.
Common MaxiCode mistakes
- Typing
\x1dwithout escape sequences. Each code then counts as four characters: an 84-character UPS-style test message grew to 135, over the limit. Tick Escape sequences. - Data after the end-of-transmission character. The AFP Consortium cites reports that MaxiCode scanned by UPS must have nothing after EOT; devices treat extra data differently. End the message with EOT.
MaxiCode compared with related codes
Stacked, up to 1,850 text characters; laser scanners for linear barcodes read it, unlike MaxiCode.
Rows and columns follow the data, up to 3,116 characters, so short data gives a small symbol.
No quiet zone; its size adjusts to the data: up to about 3,784 text characters.
The USPS parcel barcode: a form of GS1-128 with routing and package data, required for certain discounts.
Frequently asked questions
Learn more about MaxiCode.
Can I create a UPS MaxiCode with this generator?
How big is a MaxiCode?
How much data fits in a MaxiCode?
Do all barcode scanners read MaxiCode?
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