Pick the right size
| Size | Good for |
|---|---|
| 50 × 30 mm | Small items; manufacturer + responsible person + 1–3 languages |
| 60 × 40 / 70 × 50 mm | Most retail boxes; up to about 5 languages |
| 100 × 50 / 100 × 70 mm | Everything incl. QR code and symbols; Amazon EU's 8 languages |
| 100 × 150 mm (4 × 6 in) | Shipping-label rolls you already have; all 22 languages |
The preview shows the text size in points. Under about 5 pt the text gets hard to read — choose a bigger label or fewer languages.
Printer settings that work
- In the printer driver, create or choose a paper size equal to the label (e.g. 50 × 30 mm), in the right orientation.
- In the PDF print dialog choose Actual size / 100%, not “Fit”.
- Use 203 dpi for most desktop thermal printers, 300 dpi for 300-dpi models; 600 dpi gives the sharpest PDF for office printers.
- Set Copies in the tool to get one PDF page per label — handy when the driver ignores the copies setting.
Office printer instead?
With a Pro pass you can print on A4 sticker sheets (Avery 3474, L7160, L7163, L7165) or US Letter sheets (Avery 5160, 5163), and start at any position on a partly used sheet.
Step-by-step guide
- Printing GPSR labels on a thermal printer — Set up a thermal label printer for GPSR labels: choosing 50×30 to 100×150 mm, 203 vs 300 dpi, driver paper size, 100% scaling, darkness, di…
Frequently asked questions
The label prints small or cut off.
The PDF print dialog is scaling the page. Choose “Actual size” or 100%, and make sure the driver's paper size equals the label size.
Do thermal labels fade?
Direct-thermal labels can fade with heat and sunlight over months. For long-lasting labels on products, use thermal-transfer labels with a ribbon, or printed sticker sheets.
Is PNG better than PDF?
For printing, use the PDF — it keeps the exact size. PNG (with the dpi stored in the file) is handy for listing images and packaging artwork.
Legal references: Regulation (EU) 2023/988 (GPSR) — the text on EUR-Lex is authoritative. Page last reviewed 2026-11-06. General information, not legal advice.