Ultimate Guide to Label Printer Troubleshooting

There's an old saying, "the problem with computers is that they do exactly what we tell them." Indeed, printers in general, and label printers especially, are fussy little robots being told exactly what to do.

Most label printer problems boil down to a few simple points. Follow along in our guide to label printer troubleshooting to resolve your label printing problems.

Thermal Printer Calibration

A lot can go wrong if your label printer doesn't understand how "long" each label is. Learn how to calibrate like a pro:

How do I calibrate my thermal printer?

Each push of the printer's button should eject exactly ONE label. On most thermal printers you hold down the button for a certain amount of time and then let go.

Default Printing Page Size

When computers "print" they always print to "pages." Makes sense. However, label printers use "labels" but the system printer driver still treats each label as a separate "page". This can lead to labels printing too small or large. To fix, you must setup your driver's default page size. Learn how, here:

Why is my label printing too small or too large?

The printer driver's default paper (page) size must match your label dimensions.

Skipping or Blank Labels

There is nothing more frustrating than a label printer that skips labels. Learn how to fix the issue here:

Why is my printer skipping labels?

Ensure your printer is calibrated and the label size matches the label.

Are just parts of your labels blank? Suffering from a white vertical bar or band? Check out our guide on inspecting the print head:

How do I fix white vertical bars or blank labels?

Check the print head for stuck stickers or adhesive.

Using Label LIVE's Print Preview

Use Label LIVE's Print Preview feature to verify that the label looks correct before printing:

How do I generate a PDF using Print Preview?

Click the Print tab, click the printer name and choose Print Preview. Click Print.

App Not Responding?

Try these easy fixes when Label LIVE seems slow, doesn't respond, or won't open.

How do I fix an app or printer that is not responding?

It could be a misbehaving printer, the USB connection, or too large a spreadsheet.