Check the spec
Capacity, error correction and shape controls for this symbology are listed above.
Free tools · Barcodes
Generate Compact PDF417 symbols that scan.
Truncated PDF417 without the right row guards — smaller, for clean prints. Configure Compact PDF417 below — Short text up to ~1000 characters. Fixed compact layout. Every symbol is decoded again on your device before export.
2D code generator
Type text, get a symbol.
Runs locally in your browser. Nothing is uploaded; the field clears after ten idle minutes.
Advanced (error correction, shape, GS1)
This symbology has no tunable options — the engine picks the densest valid symbol.
Style (colors, frame, caption, export size)
Symbol contrast 100.0% (minimum 40%). The companion color adjusts automatically to hold the minimum; downloads additionally require the colored symbol to re-decode.
Outer frame
Frame and caption ship in the SVG download; PNG exports the bare symbol.
Specification
| Standards | ISO/IEC 15438 Truncated |
|---|---|
| Character set | Short text up to ~1000 characters. Fixed compact layout. |
| Lengths | Short text for clean, controlled prints |
| Check digits | Error correction fixed by the symbology or QR-studio owned. |
| Quiet zone | Specification quiet zone enforced in preview and export (2 modules minimum for matrix symbols). |
| Geometry | Stacked Symbologies; engine selects the smallest fitting symbol unless pinned. |
| Capacity | Up to ~1000 characters here; the engine enforces exact capacity. |
Usage
Compact PDF417 stacks rows of data for documents and transport labels: print it wide on paperwork where stacked-row imagers operate.
- Compact PDF417 on shipping documents carrying addresses and IDs
- Compact PDF417 on industrial labels with pinned rows and columns
- Compact PDF417 proofs exported as SVG for laser printers
Shape
Pros
- Compact PDF417 scans on modern phone and industrial imagers.
- Every symbol is read back locally before preview or download.
- SVG export stays sharp for print; PNG covers quick sharing.
- Only the controls this symbology accepts are shown.
Cons
- Compact PDF417 needs calm quiet zones — nearby text breaks detection.
- Glare, blur and low contrast are the usual reasons a symbol will not read.
- Screenshots prove scannability, not print quality grading.
- Custom colors stay locked until contrast and tinted re-decode pass.
Form requirements
- Enter Short text for clean, controlled prints.
- Short text up to ~1000 characters. Fixed compact layout.
- Downloads stay locked until the local read-back reproduces the payload.
Sources
- ISO/IEC 15438 (ISO)
Related formats
Keep exploring.
How it works
Three steps, all on your device.
The same engine that reads 2D codes writes them — every symbol is decoded again before you see it.
Tune and style
Only the controls this symbology accepts are shown; every symbol is read back to prove it scans.
Download and print
Take a resolution-independent SVG or a PNG at your chosen module size. Nothing is uploaded.
Questions
Compact PDF417 Generator & Specs, answered.
If you manage servers by hand, see the engineering services behind this tools series.
What can I encode in Compact PDF417?
Short text up to ~1000 characters. Fixed compact layout. Example input is prefilled when the page loads.
How does Compact PDF417 stay scannable?
Error correction fixed by the symbology or QR-studio owned. Keep the quiet zone calm, use black-on-white for print, and export SVG for anything that gets resized.
Is my data uploaded anywhere?
No. Encoding and verification run entirely in your browser — the page makes no network requests with your data, stores nothing, and wipes the field after ten idle minutes.
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