How to print barcode labels from Shopify
Shopify stores a barcode for each product variant, but it can't print labels on its own. Here is the whole process, from the barcode field to a label on the shelf, for the printers merchants use most.
1. Make sure every variant has a barcode
Open a product in the Shopify admin and look at the Barcode (ISBN, UPC, GTIN, etc.) field of each variant. If you buy from brands, the barcode is usually printed on the supplier's packaging: type or scan it in. If you make your own products, you have two options:
- Selling only in your own store or online: use in-store codes. GS1 reserves EAN-13 prefixes 200 to 299 for internal use, so these codes never clash with a real product. See how to create in-store barcodes.
- Selling through Amazon or retail chains: you need official codes bought from GS1.
2. Pick the right label for your printer
| Printer | Common barcode labels | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Dymo LabelWriter 450 / 550 / 5XL | 30334 (2¼" × 1¼"), 30336 (2⅛" × 1"), 30346 (1⅞" × ½"), 11354 (57 × 32 mm) | 300 dpi. The 550 series only accepts genuine Dymo rolls. |
| Zebra, Rollo, Munbyn, iDPRT (thermal) | 2" × 1", 1.5" × 1", 2.25" × 1.25", 50 × 25 mm | 203 dpi. Direct thermal labels need no ink. |
| Brother QL | DK-11201 (90 × 29 mm), DK-11209 (62 × 29 mm), DK-11204 (54 × 17 mm) | 300 dpi. |
| Office printer | Avery 5160 (30/sheet), 5167 (80/sheet), L7651 (65/sheet, A4) | See Avery guide. |
A good rule: the smallest label that still fits the barcode at a readable size. EAN-13 and UPC-A need at least about 1.5" (38 mm) of width to scan reliably on handheld scanners.
3. Decide what goes on the label
Most stores print the product name, the variant (size, color), the price and the barcode. Clothing stores often add the compare-at price to show a discount; wholesalers add the SKU; some add a QR code that links to the product page. Keep text short on small labels: two lines of text and a barcode is the practical maximum on a 2" × 1" label.
4. Print the labels
You need an app for this step. With Tagwise, for example:
- Open Print labels, click Select products and pick the products you want.
- Set quantities: one each, one per item in stock, or type the number. Quantities start at zero, so nothing prints by accident.
- Choose your label size and check the preview.
- Click Create PDF and print the PDF at 100% / actual size, with the printer's paper size set to your label size.
You can also start from a product or an order: open it in the Shopify admin, click Print (or More actions) and choose the app.
5. If the labels don't line up
- Text cut off or shifted: the print dialog is scaling the page. Choose "Actual size" or 100%, never "Fit to page".
- Blank label between each printed one (Dymo, Zebra): the paper size in the printer driver doesn't match the label. Select the exact roll in the driver settings.
- Barcode won't scan: print darker (thermal printers have a darkness setting), or use a wider label. Check the barcode itself is valid: EAN-13 has 13 digits, UPC-A has 12.
- Avery sheet drifts down the page: print a calibration page and adjust the vertical offset by a millimetre or two.
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