Labels print misaligned on the sheet
Label text drifting off the labels or shifting down the sheet? Pick the matching template, print at 100%, set Letter or A4 correctly and feed the sheet straight.
Quick fix
Make sure the template in your app matches the product number on the label pack, then print at Actual size or 100% scale, not fit to page. Check the paper size matches the label sheet, Letter or A4. Print a test on plain paper and hold it behind a label sheet against the light before using real labels.
Didn’t work? Go to the full stepsYou might see
- Text starts in the right place but drifts lower down the sheet
- Every label is shifted by the same amount up, down or sideways
- Text runs across the gaps between labels
- The printed text is slightly smaller or larger than the labels
- Alignment changes from one sheet to the next
Usually caused by
- A template that doesn't match the label product
- Scaling set to fit to page instead of actual size
- A Letter template printed on A4 labels, or the reverse
- The sheet feeding skewed or loaded the wrong way
- Printer margins or a small paper feed offset
Step-by-step fix
Work through the steps in order and check each one off. Most people are printing again before the last step.
Any inkjet or laser printer
0 of 4 steps tried
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Read the pattern of the error
Print one sheet on plain paper and lay it over a label sheet against a window. If the error grows down the page, the cause is scaling or paper size. If every label is off by the same amount, it's the template or margins. If it changes from sheet to sheet, the paper is feeding crooked.
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Use the right labels for your printer
Inkjet labels have a coating that absorbs ink, while laser labels use adhesive and materials that tolerate the fuser's heat. The wrong kind gives smeared text or labels that lift. Never feed inkjet labels, or a sheet with some labels already peeled off, through a laser printer, as labels can come loose inside near the hot fuser.
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Load the sheet straight
Load label sheets the way the pack shows, with the guides snug against the edges. Use the rear or manual feed slot if your printer has one, since its straighter path keeps sheets from skewing, and feed one sheet at a time.
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Measure the labels
Measure one label, the gap between labels and the top margin with a ruler, and compare them with the template's details. If the pack has no product number, most label tools let you create a custom label by entering these measurements.
Windows 11 / 10
0 of 3 steps tried
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Pick the matching template
In Microsoft Word, go to Mailings > Labels > Options, choose the label vendor and the product number printed on the pack, and click OK. A template for a similar-looking label with a different number can be off by a millimeter or two per row, which adds up down the sheet.
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Print at actual size
When printing labels from a PDF, choose Actual size or a 100% scale rather than Fit or Shrink oversized pages. In a browser's print preview, look under More settings for a scale option and choose the default or 100 rather than a fit option.
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Match the paper size
Set the paper size to match the label sheet in Word's Layout > Size and in Settings > Bluetooth & devices > Printers & scanners > your printer > Printing preferences. A4 is about 18 mm longer and 6 mm narrower than US Letter, so mixing them shifts every row.
macOS
0 of 3 steps tried
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Choose the template
In Word for Mac, use Mailings > Labels > Options and pick the product number on the pack. In Contacts, choose File > Print, set the style to mailing labels and pick the label type in the layout options.
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Print at 100% scale
In the print dialog, make sure the scale is 100%, and in Preview choose a 100% scale rather than a scale-to-fit option. In Paper Handling, leave Scale to fit paper size turned off.
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Match the paper size
Set Paper Size in the print dialog to US Letter or A4 to match the label sheet, and check the app's page setup uses the same size.
Did this fix it?
Good. To confirm everything is healthy, print a test page. It takes a minute and shows any quality problems early.
Try these next
Still stuck? The troubleshooter asks a few questions and narrows it down. If your printer is under warranty, the manufacturer can repair or replace it at no cost. Find their official support site on our brand pages.
Common questions
Why do my labels drift lower down the sheet?
That's almost always scaling or paper size. Fit to page shrinks everything slightly, and an A4 template on Letter sheets, or the reverse, spaces the rows wrongly.
Can I reuse a label sheet with some labels missing?
Not in a laser printer, because the exposed backing lets labels peel off near the hot fuser. In an inkjet it often works if the sheet is flat, but it's best to print all the labels on a sheet in one go.