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How to Create Barcode Images

ByHairil Hasyimi Bin Omar

March 19, 2023

Updated  June 1, 2025

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Generate Barcodes and Save as Image Files

Besides reading barcodes, IronBarcode is a powerful tool that also allows users to write barcodes with very minimal coding. To achieve this, simply call the CreateBarcode() method from the BarcodeWriter class, where the barcode value, type, width, and height can be specified in the method parameters. This outputs a GeneratedBarcode object, which can then be saved as an image file using the SaveAs() method. Let's discuss each parameter in detail and later see how to implement barcode writing with a code snippet.

Barcode Value

The BarcodeWriter.CreateBarcode() method accepts multiple data types for barcode values. These include byte[] array, MemoryStream, and string. The lengths of the string and what characters are accepted vary depending on the barcode type, but this is all detailed within our documentation.

Barcode Encoding Types

IronBarcode supports a wide variety of barcode formats for writing—the complete list can be found in our Supported Barcode Formats article. These barcode types all have their own unique properties, specialties, and uses—you can research which one is the best fit for your use case with our documentation.

Width and Height

Set the width and height of the output barcode image in pixels. By default, both measurements are set at 250 px. Several barcode types, such as QR and PDF417, require having certain dimensions to be compliant, so for input widths and heights that don't match the required dimensions of the barcode, the barcode will be generated at the compliant dimensions and whitespace will fill the remaining space. If the dimensions are too small for the barcode, an exception will be thrown.

Import Barcodes as Image

When creating a barcode with the BarcodeWriter.CreateBarcode() method, a GeneratedBarcode object will be generated. With this object, we can save the barcode to a variety of image types with several SaveAs() methods specific to each image format. These methods include:

• SaveAsGif(): This method saves the GeneratedBarcode as a GIF image file and accepts the image file path as a string argument.
• SaveAsJpeg(): This method saves the GeneratedBarcode as a JPEG image file and accepts the image file path as a string argument.
• SaveAsPng(): This method saves the GeneratedBarcode as a PNG image file and accepts the image file path as a string argument.
• SaveAsTiff(): This method saves the GeneratedBarcode as a TIFF image file and accepts the image file path as a string argument.
• SaveAsWindowsBitmap(): This method saves the GeneratedBarcode as a BMP image file and accepts the image file path as a string argument.
• SaveAsImage(): This is a general method for saving the GeneratedBarcode as an image file—users must specify the desired file format extension when inputting the file path.

Generate a Barcode and Save As Image File

Now we will use BarcodeWriter.CreateBarcode() to demonstrate the creation of a Code128 barcode, and save it to disk as a JPEG image file.

:path=/static-assets/barcode/content-code-examples/how-to/create-barcode-images-one-dimensional.cs

// Import the IronBarCode library to the project to handle barcode generation and manipulation
using IronBarCode;

// This code snippet demonstrates how to generate a barcode using the IronBarCode library.
// The barcode is created using the Code128 encoding standard and saved as a JPEG image file.

// Create a barcode with specific text ("IronBarcode123"), using Code128 encoding.
// The barcode image is initialized with dimensions: a width of 200 pixels and a height of 100 pixels.
var barcode = BarcodeWriter.CreateBarcode(
    "IronBarcode123",     // Text to encode within the barcode
    BarcodeEncoding.Code128,  // Encoding method to use (Code128 standard in this case)
    width: 200,           // Width of the barcode image in pixels
    height: 100           // Height of the barcode image in pixels
);

// Save the generated barcode as a JPEG image file named "OneDBarcode.jpeg".
// This method serializes the barcode image into a JPEG formatted file located in the default directory.
barcode.SaveAsJpeg("OneDBarcode.jpeg");

' Import the IronBarCode library to the project to handle barcode generation and manipulation

Imports IronBarCode



' This code snippet demonstrates how to generate a barcode using the IronBarCode library.

' The barcode is created using the Code128 encoding standard and saved as a JPEG image file.



' Create a barcode with specific text ("IronBarcode123"), using Code128 encoding.

' The barcode image is initialized with dimensions: a width of 200 pixels and a height of 100 pixels.

Private barcode = BarcodeWriter.CreateBarcode("IronBarcode123", BarcodeEncoding.Code128, width:= 200, height:= 100)



' Save the generated barcode as a JPEG image file named "OneDBarcode.jpeg".

' This method serializes the barcode image into a JPEG formatted file located in the default directory.

barcode.SaveAsJpeg("OneDBarcode.jpeg")

Generate QR Codes and Save as Image Files

One of the most popular barcodes nowadays, QR code, which is also one of the barcodes classified as a two-dimensional barcode, is fully supported by IronBarcode. Due to its versatility, cosmetic appeal, and highly customizable features, QR codes have gained high popularity among users.

Different from the creation of 1-dimensional and other barcodes, creating QR codes will be using a different method from a different class in IronBarcode because of the intricacy of QR codes which require different properties and arguments to produce high-quality QR codes as required by customers. To create QR codes in IronBarcode, users will need to call the CreateQrCode() method from the QRCodeWriter class. QRCodeWriter.CreateQrCode() accepts 4 arguments: the barcode value as the first argument, size of the output QR code as the second, QRCodeWriter.QrErrorCorrectionLevel enum field as the third argument, and lastly the QRVersion. Let us discuss the arguments for this method in detail.

QR Code Values

Similar to the BarcodeWriter.CreateBarcode() method, QRCodeWriter.CreateQrCode() first accepts a value for the QR Code which can be numerical, alphabetical, or alphanumerical. These values can be input inside the method as byte[] array, MemoryStream, and System.String type.

QR Code Size

Users can also specify the size of the QR code directly into the method as Int32 type. The measurement unit for QR code size used in this method is in pixels (px). The default QR code size is 500 px.

QR Error Correction Level

QRErrorCorrectionLevel is a member property of the QRCodeWriter class where it has 4 fields: Highest, High, Medium, and Low. Basically, this property is the fault tolerance level of a QR code, where a higher correction level creates more complex QR codes that are less prone to reading errors, even if it is damaged, or partially obscured. Now, let us discuss in detail each of the fields in this property, as well as look at the difference in the appearance of the QR code produced.

QRErrorCorrectionLevel.Highest

QR codes generated with the Highest correction level will have the most complex QR code image, with 30% of it being error correction. The QR code produced can also be stamped with a logo or image graphics on the QR code.

QRErrorCorrectionLevel.High

Setting the property field to be High will result in the application of 25% error correction in the QR code image. It will be less complex than the QR code image produced from QRErrorCorrectionLevel.Highest.

QRErrorCorrectionLevel.Medium

This field applies only 15% error correction in the QR code image. By using this setting, users will get to produce QR codes faster; however, they are more prone to errors.

QRErrorCorrectionLevel.Low

This is the lowest setting for error correction level, which only applies 7% error correction in the QR code image, resulting in the least complex QR Code.

QR Version

QR Version is the symbol version of a QR code that ranges from 1 to 40. A higher QR version will produce a more complex QR code, enabling users to store more data, and vice versa for the lower version of QR code. Please note, however, if the QR version is set too low, issues might occur when users are trying to encode more data than what is allowed by the version. Setting the QR version as 0 will automatically assign the appropriate QR version based on the value to be encoded. Please refer to this site for more information on QR version: QR Version

Create a QR Code Image

The code snippet below demonstrates how to use the QRCodeWriter.CreateQrCode() method in IronBarcode to write a QR code and save it as an image file to disk by using the SaveAsJpeg() method.

:path=/static-assets/barcode/content-code-examples/how-to/create-barcode-images-qr.cs

using IronBarCode;

// This script generates a QR code using the IronBarCode library.

// Create a QR code with the specified text, size, and error correction level
var qrCode = QRCodeWriter.CreateQrCode(
    content: "IronBarcode1234",                // The content to be encoded in the QR code
    size: 250,                                 // Dimensions of the QR code in pixels
    errorCorrection: QRCodeWriter.ErrorCorrection.Medium, // Error correction level
    qrVersion: QRCodeWriter.QrVersion.Auto     // QR version, use 'Auto' for automatic version decision
);

// Save the generated QR code as a JPEG image file
qrCode.SaveAsJpeg("QRMedium.jpeg");

Imports IronBarCode



' This script generates a QR code using the IronBarCode library.



' Create a QR code with the specified text, size, and error correction level

Private qrCode = QRCodeWriter.CreateQrCode(content:= "IronBarcode1234", size:= 250, errorCorrection:= QRCodeWriter.ErrorCorrection.Medium, qrVersion:= QRCodeWriter.QrVersion.Auto)



' Save the generated QR code as a JPEG image file

qrCode.SaveAsJpeg("QRMedium.jpeg")

From the code snippet above, an alphanumerical value was used as the value to be encoded in the QR code, and we used 250 pixels as the measurement of the produced QR code. We also specified the error correction of the produced QR code to be medium and let the program decide which QR code version is suitable for our QR code value. Apart from that, we also used SaveAsJpeg() that accepts the QR code image file name with the image format extension, which is a JPEG in this case, to be saved as the argument.

Hairil Hasyimi Bin Omar

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Software Engineer

Like all great engineers, Hairil is an avid learner. He’s refining his knowledge of C#, Python, and Java, using that knowledge to add value to team members across Iron Software. Hairil joined the Iron Software team from Universiti Teknologi MARA in Malaysia, where he graduated with a Bachelor's degree in Chemical and Process Engineering.