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If your entire sheet is off in the same direction (every design is too far to the right, for example), it could have something to do with how your printer feeds the label sheets during printing. If your design is off in several ways, the browser you're using may be scaling your design. 

Click the "Learn More" button below for a list of solutions to each problem.

Every printer on the market has a fixed, maximum printable area where the ink or toner stops. That space is called the "non-printable margin."

If your label configuration extends to the edge of your sheet or close to it, we recommend figuring out your non-printable margins. To determine what your printer's non-printable margins are, you can look to your printer's instruction manual or use our printer margin tool. Print the document and measure the 1" line in step 2. If the line is not an accurate inch, return to the print dialog box and select the "Fit to Page" or "Print Actual Size" option. Setting the "Custom Scale" option to 100% will produce the same results. Print the document again and remeasure. Once you're sure it's printing to scale, start from the edge of the paper and work your way in until you find the first full box. The numbers next to the first full box are your non-printable margins.

Use those measurements to adjust your label design. If you're using Maestro Label Designer, hover over the "Print" menu and click "Page Setup." From there, you can adjust your settings to fit within your printable dimensions.

Label sheets can shifting during the manufacturing and/or printing processes. While our quality assurance standards are in place to ensure that label sheets don't shift more than 1/16", we recommend leaving 1/8" between your design and the cut marks. Adding a bleed is another way to avoid shifting. Find out how to add bleed in Maestro Label Designer. You should also stack your labels neatly and evenly in your paper tray.

Unfortunately, this is most likely a problem with the printer. Unclean rollers and rollers that have lost their rubber density are the most common reasons you may experience this problem. When the rollers are dirty or the rubber loses its density, they lose their ability to grip the label sheet well. We suggest cleaning the rollers with an alcohol-based solvent first (we recommend referring to your printer's maintenance instructions when doing so). If that's not the problem, you may need to replace the rollers.

In some cases, there can be incompatibility issues with the label sheet and printer. If after cleaning it you're still experiencing jamming, please call customer service at 1-888-575-2235.

A printer can jam for a number of reasons -- most commonly it's trying to print on paper designed for a different printer type, it hasn't adjusted for the material's unique thickness or texture, or it has a dusty feed path.

First, make sure you're using the label type that corresponds with your printer. Inkjet printers need an absorbent material to capture the ink whereas laser printers need paper that can withstand the high temperatures during printing. Many of our materials are both laser and inkjet-printable, so this may not be your problem. However, for those that are printer-specific, they should only be used with the correct printer type.

You should also try modifying the material setting on your printer. If you're using a glossy stock, select a setting similar to "Coated," "Photo Paper," or "Gloss." For our matte materials, a heavier setting like "Label" or "Transparency" may be necessary.

If you continue to experience jamming, your printer's rollers may have gotten dirty from regular use. You should refer to your printer's manufacturer for cleaning and maintenance instructions on this issue.

If you're having trouble with a vinyl material jamming in a laser printer specifically, you may need to take different steps.

If these quick fixes didn't solve your problem, call our customer service team at 1-888-575-2235.

1. Change your printer's material setting and reprint. If you continue to experience issues, continue to #2.
2. Adjust the printer's quality setting to "fast draft" or choose a lower DPI.

Laser printers work by fusing toner to your paper. If you're able to scratch away the toner, it probably means that it didn't fuse properly. In most cases, this problem can be solved by changing your paper settings to "labels" or "cardstock."

To change your printer settings, open "Printer Properties" and locate what paper type is selected in the "Media Type" section. The default setting is most commonly "Plain Paper" or "Unspecified." By changing this setting to "labels" or "cardstock," you're increasing the temperature at which the printer fuses the toner to the sheet. It should eliminate smudging, scratching, or smearing in the resulting prints.

If you’re still having problems, call 1-888-575-2235 to speak with our customer service team.

We recommend only using the product as intended. "Inkjet only" materials may not be able to withstand the heat of the laser printing process. The high temperatures could cause the facesheet to melt or the adhesive to ooze, leading to jamming and printer damage. For "laser only" materials, they likely won't cause damage to your printer, but the ink may not dry properly. This can lead to smudging even after an extended drying time.

Find the right materials for your printer type: inkjet-printable labels | laser-printable labels. 

If you plan to switch printer types frequently, choose from our list of both laser and inkjet-printable materials using the "Material Properties" filter in the left-hand column.

We don't recommend feeding a label sheet through a laser printer more than once. The heat from the printing process can cause the adhesive to soften or the sheet to curl. Softened adhesive can ooze inside the printer or cause the label to peel off. It can also soften the toner which can make the printed design smudge.

It depends on the material and writing instrument. Permanent-style markers (such as Sharpies®) work on most of the materials we offer, but other utensils may vary. If you plan to add handwritten content to your labels, click "Learn More" below to view a list of materials and their compatible writing instruments.

Whatever writing utensil you choose, we recommend giving the ink ample time to dry. If you'd like to test the material and writing instrument for yourself, you can request samples anytime.

Nearly all of our laser-printable products are approved for use in copiers. Those not recommended are our weatherproof / waterproof and clear materials, as well as any of our inkjet-printable label materials.

Yes. If you'd like to test whether a material will work for your application, we can send you a few sample sheets. Please fill out our sample request form and we'll mail them to you.

We offer custom printing on sheets with no minimum quantities or hidden setup charges. You can select your shape, size, material, and quantity, as well as upload your own ready-to-print label artwork. Get a custom printed label quote or speak with a customer service representative at 1-888-575-2235.

We do not currently offer custom printing for roll labels.

It isn't recommended. If you run the label sheet through a printer more than once, it's more likely to curl or peel up, transfer toner from the original print onto your fuser, or cause the printed design to smudge.

Thermal transfer printers utilize a thermal print-head to apply heat to a wax or resin-based ribbon. The ribbon ink is absorbed into the label material, creating a durable image that is ideal for applications requiring a longer-than-average shelf life.

Direct thermal printers use a thermal print-head as well, but do not require a printing ribbon. Instead, the chemically treated label material blackens when it comes into contact with the hot print-head, creating your image without the need for ink, ribbons, or toner. The resulting print is less durable, however, it's ideal for short shelf life applications.

Unlike their thermal counterparts, inkjet roll printers function much like traditional inkjet desktop printers. Ink cartridges dispense ink in the appropriate combinations onto your paper creating full-color images.

Learn more about the differences between direct thermal and thermal transfer printing or why you should go with an inkjet roll printer.

The easiest way to achieve true black print is by using "plain black" or 100% black ink. The color combination is: 0 Cyan (C), 0 Magenta (M), 0 Yellow (Y), 100 Black (K).

You can also create a "rich black" by utilizing the other ink colors. There are a variety of possible ink combinations, but the most common "rich black" is: 63 Cyan (C), 52 Magenta (M), 51 Yellow (Y), 100 Black (K).

You can get detailed instructions, printer settings, and other helpful tips for any product number and material code on our Printing Instructions page or by clicking "Printing Instructions" underneath "Product Specs" on the left-hand side of any product page.

Roll labels are intended for use with thermal transfer, direct thermal, and inkjet roll printers only. They will not work with standard desktop inkjet or laser printers.

No, different label materials are required for each printing process. However, we sell materials for each printer type:

Direct thermal labels
DYMO-compatible direct thermal labels
Thermal transfer labels
Inkjet roll labels

Our direct thermal label material is only capable of producing black text and images. If you're using a thermal transfer printer, you can print in color with the addition of a colored ribbon. Please note that if your thermal transfer printer accepts colored ribbons, installing one will only allow you to print in that color.

• Clean your hands and the label destination. Any debris, dust, moisture, or natural oils can interfere with the adhesive, weakening the bond.
• Prime your surface. Use fine sandpaper or emery cloth to lightly rub your container where the label will go. This adds surface texture which can give the adhesive something to latch onto.
• Apply the center of the label first and then work out toward the edges. This reduces some of the tension on the ends of the label which will help it stay down.
• Use pressure when sticking the labels to your surface. Our products are pressure-sensitive, so more pressure equates to a stronger adhesive bond.

• Start by printing on the plain paper setting
• Only adjust to a heavier media type setting (like photo, label, glossy, etc.), if you experience toner fusion issues on the plain paper setting.
• Only run vinyl material in small batches (less than 25 sheets at a time).
• Use the manual bypass tray if your printer has one.