Free label printer alignment test
Labels printing slightly off? Most printers shift the page a little. Test once, save a correction, and every PDF from this site is adjusted for your printer.
How the scales work
One label on the test page carries two small scales, A across its left edge and B across its top edge. Each is numbered in millimetres with 0 on the printed edge. Where the real label's edge shows through, read the number and type it in: that number already is the correction, so there is nothing to measure or work out. No ruler needed.
Print the test again afterwards. When both scales read 0, you're done.
Reading the test
| Every box is off by the same amount | Your printer shifts the page. Read scales A and B and apply them; the correction is saved in this browser. |
|---|---|
| The edge falls between two numbers | Type the number in between, such as 3 or 1.5. |
| The line across the top is short (it should be 7 in on Letter, 180 mm on A4) | The page was scaled. Print again with "Actual size" or 100%, not "Fit to page". |
| The shift grows across the sheet | Check that you chose the right sheet number and that the paper size matches it. |
Tips for accurate label printing
- Use the manual or bypass tray and load one sheet at a time.
- Set the paper size to match your sheet: Letter (8.5 × 11 in) for 5000-series numbers, A4 (210 × 297 mm) for L and J numbers.
- Test on plain paper first so you don't waste label sheets.
Trays differ. If you usually print labels from the manual feed, run the test from the manual feed — a correction measured from the main tray may not match.
For the reasons behind all of this, see why labels print off center.
Alignment questions
Why do labels print off center even with the right template?
Printers do not grip every sheet in exactly the same place, and most shift the page by up to about 2 mm. The template can be correct and the print can still come out low or to one side.
Do I have to waste a label sheet to test?
No. Print the test on plain paper, hold it over an unused label sheet against a window, and read two small scales where the real label edge shows through. The numbers you read are the correction. A line across the top — 7 in on a US Letter sheet, 180 mm on an A4 one — checks the print was not shrunk.
Where is my correction stored?
In this browser only, in local storage. It is applied to every PDF you download from the site afterwards, whichever sheet you pick. A different browser or computer needs its own test.
The scale line does not measure what it says. What does that mean?
The page was scaled on its way to the printer, usually by "Fit to page" or by a Letter page being squeezed onto A4. Fix the print setting first: no correction can undo scaling, because a scaling error grows across the sheet.