How to Print Amazon Easy Ship Labels on a Thermal Printer
To print Amazon Easy Ship labels on a thermal printer, crop the label out of the A4 PDF from Seller Central, set the printer driver to 4 x 6 inch (100 x 150 mm) paper, print at 100% scale and test one label first. The Amazon label is an image, so printer darkness and scale decide whether the barcode scans.
Can Amazon Easy Ship labels be printed on a thermal printer
Yes, Amazon Easy Ship labels print well on a 4x6 thermal printer once the label is cropped out of the PDF. The file from Seller Central is made of A4 pages: usually a label page, then a tax-invoice page for the same order. Sent to a thermal printer as it is, each A4 page is squeezed onto a small label and the invoice pages use up labels too.
So the job has two sides. The PDF side is cropping, which the free Amazon label crop tool does, and which our guide on cropping Amazon Easy Ship labels to 4x6 explains. This guide covers the printer side: the printer, the driver settings and the test print.
Which thermal printer works for Amazon Easy Ship labels
Any direct thermal label printer that takes 4-inch-wide labels works for Amazon Easy Ship labels. You do not need a model made for Amazon.
- It must support 4 x 6 inch (100 x 150 mm) labels.
- It must have a driver for your computer, Windows or Mac.
- The common 203 dpi print resolution is enough for shipping barcodes.
- Direct thermal printers need heat-sensitive labels and no ink, toner or ribbon.
- A USB connection to the packing computer is the simplest to keep working.
Printer driver and paper size settings
Set the paper size to 4 x 6 inch in the driver and print at actual size. These are the settings that matter for an Amazon label.
| Setting | Set it to | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Paper or stock size | 4 x 6 inch (100 x 150 mm) | It must match the label in the printer, or the print is cut or spread over two labels |
| Scale | 100% or "Actual size" | Scaling changes the barcode size and makes it harder to scan |
| Orientation | Portrait | The crop tool has already turned the label to fit the page |
| Margins | Zero or "None" | The cropped page already leaves a small border |
| Darkness or density | Medium to high | The Amazon label is an image, and a light print leaves thin bars grey |
| Print speed | Medium | A slower print gives sharper bars |
How to print Amazon Easy Ship labels step by step
Printing Amazon Easy Ship labels on a thermal printer takes six steps.
- Download the label PDF for your Easy Ship orders from Seller Central. Keep the invoice pages in the file.
- Upload it to the Amazon label crop tool, keep "Crop labels" selected and choose "4″ × 6″ Thermal".
- Sort by SKU. Leave "Print SKU on every label" on if you want the SKU printed under each label for packing.
- Click Generate Sorted PDF and open the downloaded file.
- In the print dialog choose the thermal printer, 4 x 6 inch paper and 100% scale.
- Print one label, check it, then print the rest.
How to do a test print
A test print means printing one label and checking it before the whole batch. It takes a minute and saves a roll of wasted labels.
- All four edges of the label are inside the paper, with nothing cut off.
- The print starts at the top of the label and does not run into the next one.
- The barcode bars are solid black with clean white gaps.
- Your phone camera or a barcode scanner reads the barcode.
- The address and the small text can be read without effort.
Amazon thermal printing problems and fixes
Most problems with Amazon labels on a thermal printer come from darkness, the print head or the paper size.
- The print is faint or grey: raise the darkness in the driver, lower the speed and check that the labels are not old or kept in heat.
- A thin white line runs down the label: dust or glue is on the print head. Switch the printer off and clean the head as the printer manual says.
- The labels come out blank: the roll is loaded the wrong way round. Direct thermal labels print on one side only.
- One label is spread over two: the driver is still set to A4 or another size, or the printer has lost the gap between labels. Set 4 x 6 inch and recalibrate.
- The edge is cut off: see how to fix a label that prints cut off or shifted.
Setting up a new printer
If the printer is new, set it up fully before the first Amazon batch. Our thermal label printer setup guide covers the driver, loading labels and calibration, and the same setup then works for Meesho and Flipkart labels.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a special printer for Amazon Easy Ship labels?
No. Any direct thermal label printer that takes 4 x 6 inch labels works. You can also print the cropped labels on A4 with a normal printer.
Why does my Amazon label print faint on a thermal printer?
The darkness setting is too low, the speed is too high, or the labels are old. Raise the darkness, lower the speed and try a fresh roll.
Can I send the Amazon PDF straight to a thermal printer without cropping?
It will print, but each A4 page is shrunk onto the label and the invoice pages use labels too. Crop the PDF first so one order uses one label.
Does a thermal printer need ink for Amazon labels?
No. A direct thermal printer uses heat on heat-sensitive labels, so there is no ink, toner or ribbon to buy.
Can I print the SKU on an Amazon Easy Ship label?
Yes. With "Print SKU on every label" on, the label crop tool prints the SKU it read from the invoice page in a line under each label.