How to Print Address Labels at Home (4 Easy Ways)

Address labels save time when you send the same kind of mail again and again. This guide explains how to print address labels from Word, from the Contacts app on a Mac, or from a list in a spreadsheet using a tool like LabelPeel. Each method takes a few minutes once you have the right sheet.

How to print address labels: what you need

• A printer. Check the sheet's box to make sure it works with your printer type (inkjet or laser).
• Label sheets with the size you want. Avery® is a common brand in the US.
• Your addresses. For more than a few, keep them in a spreadsheet with one column for each part of the address: name, street, city, state and ZIP.

How to lay out an address

Put each part of the address on its own line, in this order:

1. The recipient's name, first name and last name.
2. The company name, if there is one. This line is optional.
3. The street address, with any apartment or unit number on the same line.
4. The city, the two-letter state code and the ZIP code on the last line.

A label for one person might read: Jane Smith, then 123 Maple Street, Apt 4, then Springfield, IL 62701.

These general USPS tips help mail arrive on time:

• Use the two-letter state code, such as IL or CA, not the full name.
• Use the ZIP code. If you know the ZIP+4 code, add it, for example 62701-1234.
• Keep the address in the same format for every label. Mixed styles are harder to read for both people and machines.

Which label sheet to buy

Choose the sheet by label size first. The table below shows common address and return label sheets. Sheet numbers are Avery® codes for US Letter paper unless marked A4.

Buy one sheet first and print a test. This takes less time than fixing a whole box of sheets.

Print address labels in Word

Word can print a full sheet of the same address, or a mail merge with a different address on each label. This section covers the first option. For a list, read how to print labels in Word and mail merge labels from Excel to Word.

1. Open a blank document in Word and go to Mailings › Labels.
2. Click Options. Under Label products, choose your label brand. Under Product number, choose the number on your box, then click OK. If your number is not in the list, click New Label and enter the size from the box.
3. Type the address in the Address box. You can also click Insert Address to pick a contact.
4. Select Full page of the same label, then click OK.
5. Click Print. To edit or save first, click New Document instead.

On a Mac, the steps are the same. The Options box uses the names Printer type, Label products and Product number, and the address box is called Delivery Address.

Print address labels from Contacts on a Mac

The Contacts app on a Mac can print mailing labels from your address book. This is the quickest way to print to a list of people you already have saved.

1. Open the Contacts app. Select one or more contacts, or a group. Only contacts with an address will print.
2. Choose File › Print.
3. Click the Style pop-up menu and choose Mailing Labels. If you do not see the Style menu, click the disclosure arrow next to Contacts.
4. Under Layout, choose a page type such as Avery Standard. If your sheet is not listed, choose Define Custom.
5. Under Label, pick any extra items you want, such as the company name or country.
6. Click Print.

Apple's guide does not say how to choose a label number from the list, so check the sheet's box and print a test page before you use the whole sheet.

To print a return address, select your own contact card. To print the same address on a full sheet, copy your contact card into a list as many times as you need, then select that list and print.

Print address labels in Google Docs or Google Sheets

Google Docs and Google Sheets do not have a built-in label maker. You have three practical choices:

• Make a table. In Google Docs, insert a table with the same number of rows and columns as your sheet, then set the row height and column width to match the label size. Type one address in each cell. This takes a while, and the margins can be fiddly.
• Use Avery Design & Print Online. Avery's own site lets you design and print labels for its sheets.
• Add a Google Workspace add-on. Labelmaker, Avery Label Merge and Foxy Labels are three examples. Read each add-on's own page for its price and features before you install it.

For a list of names and addresses, the quickest route is often a label tool. See how to make labels in Google Docs and how to print labels from Google Sheets for more detail.

The fast way: paste your list into LabelPeel

If you already have your addresses in a spreadsheet, you can skip the setup. LabelPeel is free while it is in beta and runs in your browser, so there is nothing to install.

Paste rows copied from Excel or Google Sheets, with the heading row. Every row becomes one label. LabelPeel guesses which columns to use, and you can change them. Pick a sheet from the list, then print.

Before you print, use the print checklist to set the scale to 100% and check the paper size. Print the test page on plain paper, hold it against a label sheet and look for the labels. If everything is a little off, nudge the labels by millimetres. You can also use Start at label N to finish a half-used sheet.

Common problems

The text sits a line too high or too low. The page was scaled. Print at 100% or Actual size, and turn off Fit to page or Scale to fit in the print settings.

The labels are in the wrong place on the sheet. The product number does not match the sheet. Check the number on the box, then choose it again in Word or the print settings. A test page on plain paper will show the problem before you waste a sheet.

Some labels are blank. Your list has blank rows. Remove them from the spreadsheet, or check that the filter is not hiding rows.

An extra blank page prints. The document has an empty line after the last label. Delete it, or remove the empty row at the end of your list.

Long names or addresses are cut off. Use a larger label, such as 5161 instead of 5160, or shorten the text. You can also remove the company line for that address.

Ink smudges. Let the ink dry before you touch the sheet. Check that the label type works with your printer.

Print a single sheet, then check it before you print a whole box. A small test saves a lot of time.

For more ideas, read how to print labels from Excel and the Avery label sizes chart. You can also see every sheet on the templates page.