Barcode types

Every pass has a scannable code, set via the pass’s code field and rendered on the front of the pass. By default this is a QR code, but you can choose a different barcode format per template via the barcodeFormat field. Passform supports the four barcode formats that both Apple Wallet and Google Wallet render natively: QR, PDF417, Aztec, and Code128. Apple Wallet’s barcode support is limited to exactly these four formats, so restricting to this set guarantees every format works on both wallets with no fallback or platform-specific behavior. barcodeFormat is set on the template, not the individual pass — every pass issued from a template renders its code in that template’s chosen format. The code value itself remains a per-pass field; see Updating passes for how to set or change it.

Choosing a format

`barcodeFormat` value	Format	Best for
`QR` (default)	QR code	General purpose. Highest data capacity, scannable from any angle, and the most widely recognized format.
`PDF417`	PDF417	Compact 2D stacked barcode. Common on boarding passes and ID cards.
`Aztec`	Aztec code	Compact 2D barcode that doesn’t require a quiet zone (blank margin) around it, making it a good fit for smaller pass designs. Widely used for transit and event tickets.
`Code128`	Code128	Traditional 1D (linear) barcode. Use this if your scanning hardware is linear-barcode-only — 2D formats are unreadable by 1D-only scanners.

Set it when creating or updating a template:

{
  "type": "offer",
  "title": "Summer Sale Voucher",
  "barcodeFormat": "PDF417",
  "issuerName": "Acme Co",
  "foregroundColor": "#FFFFFF",
  "backgroundColor": "#1a1a2e",
  "icon": "https://cdn.example.com/icon.png",
  "logo": "https://cdn.example.com/logo.png",
  "banner": "https://cdn.example.com/banner.png"
}

If omitted, barcodeFormat defaults to QR.

Code length and character limits

Each format has a different data capacity, and 1D formats additionally restrict which characters they can encode reliably. Passform validates a pass’s code against its template’s barcodeFormat when the pass is created or updated, and rejects a code that doesn’t fit.

`barcodeFormat`	Max length	Character set
`QR`	2,000 characters	Any
`PDF417`	800 characters	Any
`Aztec`	1,500 characters	Any
`Code128`	48 characters	Printable ASCII only (no emoji or non-Latin scripts)

These limits are set well below each format’s theoretical maximum capacity to keep the resulting barcode reliably scannable at typical wallet-pass size. A longer, denser code is technically encodable but becomes harder for a scanner to read reliably at that size.

If a code violates the selected format’s limit, the API returns a 400 error and the pass is not created or updated:

{
  "statusCode": 400,
  "message": "Pass code is not valid for the template's barcode format (Code128): must be 1-48 characters and match printable ASCII."
}

Switching an existing template’s barcodeFormat to a stricter format (for example, from QR to Code128) does not retroactively validate codes already issued on existing passes — only future creates and updates are checked. Confirm your existing code values fit the new format’s limits before switching.

Getting started

Guides

Integrations

Choosing a format

Code length and character limits

​Choosing a format

​Code length and character limits

Choosing a format

Code length and character limits