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Specimen label generator

Make Code 128 or QR barcode labels for specimens, boxes and freezer locations, then print them on roll labels or a sheet. Runs in your browser; nothing is uploaded.

IDs

One ID per line. Up to 1,000 labels.

Preview (actual size on most screens)

How to print specimen labels

  1. Enter your IDs. Paste one per line, or choose Number range to make a sequence like S-000001 to S-000040.
  2. Pick the barcode. Code 128 for tube labels and most handheld scanners; QR for small square spaces.
  3. Pick the label size. Roll sizes print one label per page, which is how most desktop label printers expect pages from a browser. Sheet sizes print on letter-size label sheets; use "skip labels" to start partway through a used sheet.
  4. Print at 100%. In the print dialog, set scale to 100% or "Actual size", margins to none or default, and turn off headers and footers. For roll printers, choose the matching paper size in the printer's settings.
  5. Test-scan one. Before printing a whole batch, print a few and scan them with the scanner you'll use.

Code 128 vs. QR for specimen labels

Code 128QR code
ShapeLong and narrowSquare
ScannersAlmost any barcode scanner, including basic 1D onesNeeds a 2D (imager) scanner or a phone
Best forTube labels wrapped lengthwise, rack and shelf labelsCap tops, box ends, very small labels
Long IDsGets wider with every characterStays square; gets denser

Tips for labels that scan

From labels to tracking

Once every tube and box has a barcode, the next step is scanning them as they move. That's what Track My Test specimen tracking does: every scan records who, when and where, and the freezer inventory keeps each box position up to date. It works with ordinary USB or Bluetooth scanners and stores specimen IDs only. It's in early access; join the list if you'd like to try it.

Need a paper map for a freezer box while you're at it? Try the free freezer box map.

Related

Frequently asked questions

What should go on a specimen label?

At minimum, a unique specimen or accession ID in both barcode and human-readable form, so it can be scanned and read. Many labs add a short second line such as a study, sample type or aliquot number. What your lab must include depends on its own procedures and any regulations that apply to it.

Code 128 or QR code: which should I use?

Code 128 is a one-dimensional barcode that almost every handheld scanner reads, and it suits the long, narrow labels used on tubes. A QR code is square, stores the same ID in less width, and suits small square spaces such as cap tops or box ends, but it needs a scanner that reads 2D codes.

Will these labels survive the freezer?

That depends on the label stock, not on the barcode. Ordinary paper labels can peel or smudge at -80 °C or in liquid nitrogen. Use label material rated for cryogenic storage if your samples go that cold, and test a few before labeling a whole batch.

Is anything uploaded?

No. The barcodes are drawn in your browser with the open-source bwip-js library, and the IDs you enter never leave your computer.

Why won’t my labels scan?

The usual causes are bars that are too narrow for the printer, printing at less than 100% scale, or a long ID squeezed onto a small label. Print at 100% (actual size), shorten the ID or use a larger label, or switch to QR for small labels. The tool warns you when bars are likely too narrow.