Gift card emails, PDFs and wallet passes carry a barcode of the gift card code so staff can scan it at the register. Wallet passes let you choose QR code, PDF417, Aztec or Code 128. With the new branding, emails and PDFs always show a QR code, alongside the code printed as text. Choose the barcode your scanners can read, and see Barcode requirements for printed cards and scanners if you're not sure.
Where each barcode comes from
| Where | Barcode | How to change it |
|---|---|---|
| Apple Wallet and Google Wallet passes | QR code (default), PDF417, Aztec or Code 128 | Branding › Wallet pass › Barcode |
| Gift card and voucher emails (new branding) | QR code | Not changeable. You can remove the QR code block from an email, or add it back. |
| Printable PDF (new branding) | QR code | Not changeable. The QR code is required on PDFs. |
| Emails and PDF (classic branding) | Whatever the barcode image in your template is set to | Edit the barcode image in the classic email editor (below) |
Every barcode contains the gift card code, and the code is also shown as text so staff can type it if a scan fails.
Choose the barcode on wallet passes
- Go to Branding › Wallet pass (open).
- Under Words on the pass, open Barcode and choose QR code, PDF417, Aztec or Code 128 (barcode).
- Check the preview, then select Save.
Passes already on customers' phones update to the new barcode over the next few minutes. See Apple Wallet and Google Wallet passes.
QR works with almost every scanner, phone camera and point of sale, and it scans reliably from a phone screen. Code 128 is a 1D barcode: long codes make it very wide, and some scanners struggle to read it from a phone.
Emails and PDFs on the new branding
The QR code block in each email draws a QR code of the gift card code, and the Card details or Code block shows the code as text. On Branding › Emails:
- To add a QR code to an email that doesn't have one, use Add block › QR code.
- To remove it, delete the block (it isn't required on emails). The PDF must keep its QR code.
There's no setting to show a 1D barcode in emails or PDFs on the new branding. If your scanners only read 1D barcodes, staff can scan the wallet pass (set to Code 128) or type the code.
Emails on the classic branding
In the classic drag-and-drop editor, the barcode is an image whose address sets the barcode type with barcodeType=.
- Go to Branding › Emails and select Preview & edit on Gift card issued.
- Select the barcode image in the email.
- In the image's settings, find
barcodeType=in the image address and change the value after it toqr,code128,pdf417oraztec. Leave the rest of the address as it is, including the part that inserts the gift card code. - Select Save, and send a test email to check it scans.
- Repeat for Gift card updated, Gift card gifted and Gift card reminder, and for your web store emails if you use them.
Common questions
My scanner won't read the barcode on the phone screen. What can I do?
Try the wallet pass instead of the email, turn up the phone's screen brightness, and hold the phone steady a little further from the scanner. If your scanner can't read QR codes, set the wallet pass to Code 128 or ask staff to type the code. See Barcode requirements for printed cards and scanners.
Does changing the barcode type change the gift card code?
No. Only the picture of the code changes. The code, and whether it works in your sales channels, stays the same.
Can emails and wallet passes use different barcode types?
Yes. On the new branding, emails always use a QR code and the pass uses whichever type you choose. Use a type your scanners can read on both.
Do printed physical cards use this setting?
No. Barcodes on printed cards are set by your printer. See Barcode requirements for printed cards and scanners and Generate gift card codes for a printer.