2D · server-powered
Data Matrix generator.
Data Matrix packs data into the smallest footprint of any mainstream 2D code and stays readable even at a few millimetres, which is why electronics, aerospace and pharma mark parts with it. Generate one free at print-grade resolution, raster or vector.
Tiny industrial 2D code, fits on small labels.
Standards-based quiet zones are always on. For production packaging, verify a printed sample with a barcode verifier.
Preview
Sample: type to make it yours- Renders on our servers, the one Plume tool that does.
- We keep the code type and content length, never what you encode.
- Free SVG vector + up to 600 DPI PNG, commercial use allowed.
- Full details in the privacy policy.
Valid Data Matrix input
Any text is valid: letters, digits, punctuation, spaces, and accented or non-Latin characters all encode. There is no fixed length and no check digit to compute; the symbol carries exactly the text you enter, with Reed-Solomon error correction added automatically.
The input field accepts up to 2048 characters, but how much actually fits depends on the mix. A long run of same-case letters or plain digits packs far tighter than text that keeps switching between cases, digits, and symbols, so dense mixed content can overflow the symbol before the cap. This page makes a plain Data Matrix; if your data uses GS1 application identifiers like (01) and (17), pick the GS1 Data Matrix type instead so the AI syntax gets checked.
Working sample: Serial 12345 a short serial number, the classic Data Matrix payload.
Where Data Matrix is used
- Direct part marking (DPM) on components
- Pharma serialization and unit-dose labels
- Small-label electronics and PCB tracking
Common errors and how to fix them
- "Enter the content to encode."
- The data field was empty when the preview ran. Type or paste the serial, code, or text you want in the symbol first.
- "The input data exceeds the symbol capacity"
- Even the largest 144x144 Data Matrix holds only about 2335 alphanumeric characters, and heavy switching between cases and symbols uses that budget up sooner. Shorten the content, or encode a short ID and keep the full record in your own system.
- "Content is too long (max 2048 characters)."
- The generator caps input at 2048 characters before encoding starts. Trim the text; a code this dense would be fragile at label sizes anyway.
Size and printing
Data Matrix earns its keep at small sizes, so module width is the number to watch: 0.25 to 0.5 mm covers most label work, and anything finer demands a crisp printer. Set the real module width in mm in the size panel, raise the DPI (the tool goes to 600) for thermal or small-label printing, and grab the SVG when the code feeds a laser marker or label design tool, since vectors stay sharp at any scale. Leave at least one module of clear space on every side, the quiet zone ISO/IEC 16022 calls for, and use the "Where will it be used?" presets if you would rather start from sane defaults than tune numbers.
Data Matrix questions
What is the difference between Data Matrix and QR code?
Data Matrix reaches smaller physical sizes and starts at just 10x10 modules, which is why factories mark tiny parts with it. QR holds more data at the top end and phone camera apps are built around it, so consumer scanning favors QR while industrial marking favors Data Matrix.
How much data can a Data Matrix code hold?
The ISO/IEC 16022 maximum is 3116 digits, 2335 alphanumeric characters, or 1556 bytes in the largest 144x144 symbol. In practice keep payloads far shorter, since smaller symbols print and scan more reliably; this tool accepts up to 2048 characters of input.
Can a phone scan a Data Matrix code?
Dedicated scanner apps and industrial imagers read Data Matrix without trouble, but some built-in phone camera apps only look for QR codes. If your audience will scan with whatever their phone ships with, test a few devices first or consider QR instead.