Should I include my own barcode?
It depends on where your ISBN comes from:
- You own your ISBN (bought from Bowker, or free from some national agencies): let the Cover Maker generate and place the barcode for you. Open the ISBN & Barcode section, enter the ISBN, and it renders a correct, scannable EAN-13 barcode in the barcode zone on the back cover.
- You're using a free KDP ISBN: don't add a barcode. KDP places its own barcode automatically during upload, and adding a second one causes conflicts. Leave the barcode area clear.
When in doubt on Amazon, leaving it to KDP is the safe choice. See Can I use a free KDP ISBN?
The barcode options
The ISBN & Barcode section has three settings:
- Reserve barcode area (on by default) — keeps the bottom-right corner clear so your blurb never reflows when you add an ISBN later. Leave this on even before you have an ISBN.
- Blank white box — prints a plain white rectangle where KDP will drop the barcode it assigns. Turn this on if you're using a free KDP ISBN and want the clear zone shown on the artwork itself.
- Print price on barcode — adds the printed retail price beside the barcode. See Can I print the price on my barcode?