How to create QR codes and barcodes with PC and smartphone

Barcodes and QR codes can be used for a variety of functions, here's how to create them with our computer and smartphone in minutes and without spending

Barcodes and QR codes are now used everywhere. In the products we buy, at bus stops and in many other situations. These special codes can also be created by us, simply by using a computer or a smartphone.

Among the most popular barcodes are the Universal Product Code (UPC) and the International Standard Number (ISBN). These are gimmicks to uniquely identify a supermarket product, but also deliveries made through an e-commerce, to give another example. The reasons for using these barcodes or QR codes are the most varied, and they can be useful even if we have a small business and even at home. Here's how to create QR codes with your PC and smartphone.

Use a website

There are several online sites that allow us to create fully functional QR codes and barcodes. Among them, one of the most recommended is ISBN.org. If we need particular codes to identify the products of our company instead the portal to look for is Barcode.gs1us.org. After providing the details of the object and the company, the site will generate a UPC to be used for our particular product. Another site that specializes in barcodes is CreateBarcodes.com. This service creates digital barcode files in .eps format. This portal also has a feature to print the generated barcode directly from the Internet and paste it to our product.

Creating Barcodes with Excel

We can use Excel to create barcodes. First, we open a new window in our browser and go to IDautomation.com. Then, we choose the link on the home page that says "Font Tools". Here we will find useful tabs for creating QR codes and barcodes on Excel. Let's download the document and save it as "Barcodefunctions.zipper" (it's important, if it had any other name it wouldn't work). At this point we open a new Excel file and from the resources we load the file downloaded from the Internet. Done all this from the tools we select the voice "Visual Basic Editor". We load the tabs taken from IDaumation.com into the tool and the system will automatically create a folder called "Modules".  At this point we close the Visual Basic Editor and try to write in an empty text box. Before writing, click the right mouse button and select the "Barcode" option from the popup menu. Then we type "= Code128 (A1)" in cell B2 and press enter to generate the barcode details. At this point we click on cell B2 select the font we want to give to our code and that's it.

How to generate QR code quickly

To create QR Code in just a few steps there are some sites that you can test for free. With QRStuff.com we will need only four steps to create a QR Code. First we decide what content to put inside the "square" of the code. Then we move on to the customization of the QR code. Finally we'll have to indicate whether the code should be printed or sent in digital form. With the GoQR site instead, the user will be able to choose between nine different types of QR code. Then all you have to do is enter the text of the message to be encrypted and the link. At this point just start the process and in a few moments the site will create a QR code for us. If we have an Android smartphone we can also download the QR code Generator application. This works a bit like the GoQR site with the difference that we can only choose from eight standard modules.