Guide · Printing
How to print shipping labels on A4 paper
Updated 12 October 2026 · 6 minute read
You do not need a thermal printer to ship parcels. A normal inkjet or laser printer and a pack of A4 paper are enough, as long as the labels print at the right size and the barcodes stay sharp. This guide shows the settings that matter and the small mistakes that cause unreadable labels.
Why print on A4 at all?
A thermal roll printer is fast and does not need ink, but it is an extra cost, and it only makes sense once you ship every day. Many new sellers start with the printer they already own. A4 printing has three practical advantages: no new hardware, any shop can print for you in an emergency, and you can print an invoice or a pick list on the same machine.
The trade-off is paper handling. An A4 sheet holds more than one label, so you have to cut the sheet and attach each label to a parcel. The steps below keep that work to a minimum.
What you need
- A4 paper (plain paper or A4 sticker sheets).
- Scissors or a paper cutter, and a ruler if you want straight edges.
- Transparent tape or a glue stick if you use plain paper.
- Your shipping label PDF from the seller panel.
Step by step with Label Expert
- Open the Amazon, Flipkart or Meesho tab and choose your label PDFs.
- Under Paper, select A4 sheet. Two extra choices appear: 2 per sheet and 4 per sheet.
- Set the other options you need, such as Sort by SKU or Print number.
- Press the Process button, then Download to save the PDF or Direct Print to open it in the print window.
- Print one sheet first and check it before you print the whole batch.
2 per sheet or 4 per sheet?
With 4 per sheet the labels are arranged two across and two down. This uses the least paper, so it is the better choice for large batches. With 2 per sheet the labels are stacked one above the other, so each label is larger and easier to read.
- Pick 4 per sheet when your barcodes scan reliably at the smaller size and you want to save paper.
- Pick 2 per sheet when the delivery partner or your own scanner struggles with small barcodes, or when the label text is dense.
Each label sits in its own cell with a thin border, which gives you a cutting line.
Printer settings that prevent bad labels
Print at actual size
In the print dialog choose Actual size or 100%. Do not choose “Fit to page” or “Shrink to fit”. The PDF is already built to fill an A4 page, and scaling it down again makes barcodes smaller than intended.
Check the paper size
The paper size in the printer dialog must be A4. If it says Letter, the page will be slightly clipped or scaled.
Use a sharp print quality
Barcodes need crisp edges. Avoid “draft” or “economy” modes, and use black ink only if your printer offers it. Low ink or a clogged print head shows up first as faint or streaky bars.
Cutting and attaching the labels
- Cut along the thin border. A few millimetres of white space around the label is fine, but never cut into the barcode or the address.
- Attach the label flat, with no wrinkles across the barcode. Wrinkles and bubbles are a common reason for failed scans.
- If you use tape, cover the whole label with clear tape for protection, but avoid glossy tape that reflects light into the scanner. Matte tape is safer.
- Keep the label on a flat face of the parcel, away from seams and corners.
Test the barcode before you print the batch
Print one sheet and scan a barcode with a phone camera or a barcode app. If the app reads it quickly, the size and quality are good. If it hesitates, switch from 4 per sheet to 2 per sheet, increase print quality, or check that the print head is clean. Doing this once saves you from reprinting a whole batch.
Invoices and extra pages
If you turn on Keep invoice, each invoice is placed on its own A4 page, separate from the label sheets. That means you can print the labels and invoices on different stacks and match them at packing time. If you only need labels, leave invoices off to save paper.
Common mistakes
- Fit to page left on. The most common cause of small, hard-to-scan labels.
- Wrong paper size. A4 in the tool but Letter in the printer.
- Printing the whole batch untested. One test sheet takes thirty seconds.
- Cutting too close. Trimming into the label border can cut off part of a barcode.
Frequently asked questions
Should I print 2 or 4 labels per A4 sheet?
Choose 4 per sheet to save paper when the barcodes still scan well. Choose 2 per sheet when you want larger, easier-to-read labels or your scanner struggles with the smaller size.
Why must I print at 100% or actual size?
Fit to page scaling shrinks the label again, which makes barcodes smaller and harder to scan. Printing at actual size keeps the layout the tool created.
Can I use normal paper instead of sticker sheets?
Yes. Many sellers print on plain A4 paper, cut along the border and attach the label with transparent tape or glue. Make sure tape does not cover the barcode in a way that causes glare.