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Example of an Aztec Code barcode showing its square bullseye pattern

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What is Aztec Code

Aztec Code is a high-density 2D matrix-style barcode symbology that can encode up to 3750 characters from the entire 256-byte ASCII character set. The symbol is built on a square grid with a bullseye pattern at its center. Data is encoded in a series of “layers” that circle around the bullseye pattern. Each additional layer completely surrounds the previous layer, thus causing the symbol to grow in size as more data is encoded, yet the symbol remains square. Aztec’s primary features include a wide range of sizes allowing both small and large messages to be encoded, orientation-independent scanning, and a user-selectable error correction mechanism.

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Technical specifications

The smallest element in an Aztec symbol is called a “module” (that is, a square dot). The module size and the amount of error correction are the only “dimensions” that can be specified for an Aztec symbol, and both are user-selectable. It is recommended that the module size should range between 15 to 30 mils in order to be readable by most of the scanners that are currently available. The overall size of an Aztec symbol is dependent on the module size, the total amount of encoded data, and also on the level of error correction capacity chosen by the user. The smallest Aztec symbol is 15 modules square and can encode up to 14 digits with 40% error correction. The largest symbol is 151 modules square and can encode 3000 characters or 3750 numeric digits with 25% error correction.

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Using Aztec Code with B-Coder Pro

If you need to create Aztec Code barcodes, B-Coder Pro can help you generate them easily and accurately. B-Coder Pro is a powerful barcode generation software that supports a wide range of symbologies, including Aztec Code. With B-Coder Pro, you can create high-quality barcodes for your products and streamline your barcode creation process. Try B-Coder Pro today and see how it can help you improve your data encoding and decoding capabilities.
Last modified on November 3, 2026