Print and PDFs
What is in the barcode PDF I download?
Answer
Every barcode you download from Barcode Rocket is one vector PDF printed with the black ink only (K), at the size the type needs. Bars, digits and letters are shapes, not pixels, so the file stays sharp at any size. The KDP layout, Connect QR and the QR box also have a thin black frame that overprints.
What is in the file
- One vector PDF. Bars, digits and letters are shapes, not pixels.
- Black ink only. Bars, digits and letters are 100% K (C0 M0 Y0 K100). The only exception is the genre band on the Connect QR label, a light tint of the black ink (15% K). Nothing to convert.
- A white box behind the bars where the type needs one, so the bars always sit on white.
- The right size:
| Type | Size of the file |
|---|---|
| ISBN, with or without a price | standard size (100%) |
| KDP layout | 2.0 x 1.2 in |
| IngramSpark layout | 1.255 x 1.0 in |
| Connect QR label | 3.24 x 1.42 in |
| QR box | 1.23 x 1.42 in |
- An overprint frame on the KDP layout (0.5 pt), the QR box (1 pt) and the Connect QR label. The ISBN, IngramSpark and plain QR files have no frame.
- File information inside the PDF: the barcode type, the number and the standards it follows. You can read it in Adobe Acrobat under File, Properties. Nothing extra is printed.
What Barcode Rocket keeps
We never keep your PDF. For an account, we keep only the "recipe" (type, number, price, link, text), so we can make the same file again for you under History.
Requirements
- Send the PDF itself to your designer or printer, not a screenshot or a photo of it.
- Place it at 100%. See Where do I place the barcode on my cover?
Why vector and one ink
A scanner reads the exact width of each bar. Pixels make the edges soft, and a black mixed from four inks gives color fringes. One ink and clean shapes give sharp bars that scan. More in Print words explained.