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MaxiCode

The camera app does not scan this. The Zebra app can scan this.

MaxiCode is the 2D code with a bullseye in the middle that appears on UPS shipping labels. It always has the same size and uses hexagonal modules so that conveyor scanners can read it at high speed in any orientation.

Also called UPS Code, Code 6, MaxiCode 2D.

Specifications

Standard	ISO/IEC 16023; ANSI/AIM BC10
Character set	6 code sets incl. ASCII; numeric compaction
Capacity	Fixed size (approx. 1 x 1 inch, 33 rows of hexagonal modules); up to 93 alphanumeric / 138 numeric characters
Error correction	Reed-Solomon error correction (standard or enhanced depending on mode)
Dimension	2D matrix
Origin	Developed by United Parcel Service (UPS) in 1992

Where it is used

Parcel sorting and tracking (UPS)

People use it for parcel sorting and tracking (UPS).

The Zebra app can scan this and returns the raw text. The camera app does not scan this.

Example

RS01GS96841706672

Scan and create

Create this code Zebra app

Create this code opens the barcode generator with this symbology and the sample text filled in.

The camera app does not scan this.

The Zebra app can scan this. It returns the raw text.

Modes

These are settings of one MaxiCode, not separate barcodes. Mode 6 is for programming a scanner. It is not a code to print on a parcel.

MaxiCode Mode 2

MaxiCode supports several modes, and mode 2 is a structured carrier message with a numeric postal code (up to 9 digits), used for US addresses. The mode is stored inside the symbol, so a scanner knows how to interpret the data automatically.

Character set: MaxiCode code sets A-E

Standard: ISO/IEC 16023

Example: RS01GS96841706672

MaxiCode Mode 3

MaxiCode supports several modes, and mode 3 is a structured carrier message with an alphanumeric postal code (up to 6 characters), used internationally. The mode is stored inside the symbol, so a scanner knows how to interpret the data automatically.

Character set: MaxiCode code sets A-E

Standard: ISO/IEC 16023

Example: RS01GS96841706672

MaxiCode Mode 4

MaxiCode supports several modes, and mode 4 is a standard symbol for general data with standard error correction. The mode is stored inside the symbol, so a scanner knows how to interpret the data automatically.

Character set: MaxiCode code sets A-E

Standard: ISO/IEC 16023

Example: RS01GS96841706672

MaxiCode Mode 6

MaxiCode supports several modes, and mode 6 is a reader programming mode used to configure scanners. The mode is stored inside the symbol, so a scanner knows how to interpret the data automatically.

Character set: MaxiCode code sets A-E

Standard: ISO/IEC 16023

Example: RS01GS96841706672

Mode 6 is for programming a scanner. It is not a code to print on a parcel.

Related codes

Questions

Why do UPS labels have a MaxiCode?

Parcel sorting and tracking (UPS). MaxiCode is the 2D code with a bullseye in the middle that appears on UPS shipping labels. The camera app does not scan this. The Zebra app can scan this.

How much data can a MaxiCode hold?

The symbol can hold fixed size (approx. 1 x 1 inch, 33 rows of hexagonal modules); up to 93 alphanumeric / 138 numeric characters. When an app can scan it, the app returns the text it read and does not measure how full the symbol is. The camera app does not scan this. The Zebra app can scan this.

Can I scan a MaxiCode with my phone?

The camera app does not scan this. The Zebra app can scan this.