Supported label sheets
Choose a sheet in step 5 under Print sheet (PDF). Code sizes below are the largest that fit without a caption, including the blank quiet zone around the code; the tool shows the exact size for your settings.
| Sheet | Paper | Labels | Label size | Code size | Good for |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Avery L7160 / J8160 | A4 | 21 (3 × 7) | 63.5 × 38.1 mm | about 34 mm | Asset tags, product labels with a caption beside the code |
| Avery L7163 / J8163 | A4 | 14 (2 × 7) | 99.1 × 38.1 mm | about 34 mm | Parcel and shelf labels with room for longer text |
| Avery L7651 / J8651 | A4 | 65 (5 × 13) | 38.1 × 21.2 mm | about 18 mm | Small stickers for short links and IDs |
| Avery 5160 / 8160 | US Letter | 30 (3 × 10) | 2⅝ × 1 in | about 22 mm (0.88 in) | Address-size labels, inventory and bins |
| Avery 22805 | US Letter | 24 (4 × 6) | 1½ × 1½ in square | about 35 mm (1.4 in) | Square stickers for products, jars and packaging |
The L-series sheets are for laser printers and the J-series equivalents for inkjet; the layout is the same. For Avery 22805 the label size and count come from Avery, but the page margins are our best estimate, so test that sheet on plain paper first (see below).
Getting the alignment right
Label templates only line up if the printer prints the PDF at exactly the size it was made. Most misaligned sheets come down to one of these:
- Print at 100%. In the print dialog choose “Actual size” or a scale of 100%. “Fit to page” or “Shrink oversized pages” shrinks everything slightly, and the error grows towards the bottom of the sheet.
- Pick the right paper size. An A4 template printed on Letter paper (or the other way round) will drift. Match the printer’s paper setting to the sheet.
- Test on plain paper. Print page 1 on ordinary paper, place it on top of a label sheet and hold both up to a window or lamp. If the codes sit inside the labels, print on the real sheets.
- Choose the label media type in the printer settings where available, and use laser labels in laser printers and inkjet labels in inkjet printers.
Each label keeps a small margin of padding so that a slightly off-centre feed or the rounded corners of the labels don’t clip the code.
How big will the codes be, and will they scan?
What matters for scanning is the size of each little square, called a module. The more content you put in a code, the more modules it needs, so the same label holds a smaller module size. When you choose a sheet, step 5 calculates the module size for the densest code in your data and tells you whether it is comfortable (0.5 mm or more), borderline, or too small.
If it is too small, you have three options: use shorter content (for example a short link on your own domain instead of a long URL with parameters), lower the error-correction level from Q or H to M, or choose a larger label. Error correction Q is a good default for tags that get handled, because it tolerates scratches and smudges.
Captions on labels
Turn on the caption in step 3 to print text such as an asset number, product name or location with each code. On wide labels like L7160 and L7163 the caption goes to the right of the code and wraps over several lines; on square and small labels it sits underneath. You can force either position and set the font size.
The PDF uses the standard Helvetica font built into every PDF reader, which covers English and Western European accented letters. Characters outside that set, such as Chinese, Arabic or emoji, are replaced in PDF captions; PNG and SVG downloads keep them.
Reuse a partly used sheet
Printed half a sheet last week? Set Skip labels on first sheet to the number of labels already used and the first code will be printed on the next free label. Labels are filled left to right, top to bottom.
Want to try it with your own printer first? Download the example asset tag list, upload it, and print one sheet on plain paper.
Other label sizes and plain paper
If your labels aren’t listed, choose Custom grid and enter the number of columns and rows, the page margins and the gaps between labels, all in millimetres. You’ll find these measurements on the label packaging or the manufacturer’s template page; the “pitch” they quote is the label size plus the gap. The same option works for printing codes on plain paper or card to cut out, with optional thin cut guides.