Which Side Do Labels Go in the Printer? Quick Guide (2026)

We’ve all done it — loaded a label sheet the wrong way, printed onto the backing instead of the labels, and wasted both a sheet and the ink. Annoying. The trouble is, there’s no universal answer. It depends on your printer type, the model, and which way the paper feeds. But once you know the trick for your specific printer, you’ll never get it wrong again.

The Quick Answer

For the impatient (I get it), here’s the cheat sheet:

Printer Type	Tray Type	Labels Go…
Inkjet (rear feed)	Back tray / vertical slot	Face up, top edge first
Inkjet (front tray)	Front cassette	Face down, top edge towards printer
Laser (front tray)	Main paper cassette	Face down, top edge towards printer
Laser (rear/manual feed)	Manual feed slot	Face up, top edge first
Thermal (desktop)	Roll or fanfold	Printable side up (facing print head)
Thermal (handheld)	Internal roll	Printable side out (facing thermal head)

Not sure which category your printer falls into? Do the 30-second test below.

How to Test Your Printer’s Label Orientation

This is the trick that saves you wasting a label sheet every time you use a new printer. I do this with every printer I set up — takes half a minute:

1. Grab a plain sheet of A4 paper
2. Draw a big arrow on one side pointing upward, write “THIS SIDE” next to it
3. Load it into the tray the way you’d normally load paper — make a note of which way the arrow faces
4. Print a few lines of text
5. Check: which side of the paper did the text print on?

That’s the side that needs to be the label side when you load your label sheets. Done. No guessing, no wasted labels.

Inkjet Printers

Rear Feed Tray (Most Common for Home Inkjets)

If you’ve got an HP, Epson, or Canon inkjet at home, there’s a good chance it has a rear paper feed — that tray that stands up vertically at the back. Paper goes in from the back, curves over the print head, and comes out face-up at the front.

Labels go: face up, top edge first (into the printer).

The label side faces you as you slot the sheet into the back tray. Top of the label goes in first — downward into the feed slot.

Printers that typically work this way:

• HP Envy series
• HP DeskJet series
• Epson Expression Home series
• Canon PIXMA TS series (rear tray models)

Front Cassette Tray

Higher-end inkjets and multifunction printers often have a front-loading paper cassette instead. Paper feeds from the bottom of the cassette, goes through the printer, and comes out the top.

Labels go: face down, top edge towards the back of the printer.

The label side faces the bottom of the cassette. Feels counterintuitive, but that’s how it works.

Printers that typically work this way:

• HP OfficeJet Pro series
• Epson EcoTank series (some models)
• Canon PIXMA G series

Dual-Tray Printers

Some printers have both a rear feed and a front cassette. You can use either, but I always recommend the rear feed for labels. The paper path is straighter, which means less chance of labels peeling up and jamming. A friend managed to jam his HP OfficeJet so badly with labels through the front tray that he needed to disassemble part of it to clear the stuck sheet. Use the rear feed.

Laser Printers

Main Paper Cassette

Most laser printers have a front or bottom cassette. Paper feeds upward through the fuser — which uses heat to bond the toner — and exits face-down on top.

Labels go: face down in the cassette, top edge towards the printer.

Massive warning here: Only use labels rated for laser printers. The fuser gets to 150-200°C. Standard inkjet labels will melt. I’ve seen it happen — adhesive goo everywhere inside the printer, and the repair bill was more than a new printer. Check for “laser compatible” or “laser safe” on the label packaging before you feed them through.

Printers that typically work this way:

• HP LaserJet series
• Brother HL series
• Samsung/HP Xpress series
• Canon i-SENSYS series

For more on laser printer advantages including label printing, see our dedicated guide.

Manual Feed / Bypass Tray

Many laser printers have a manual feed slot — sometimes called a bypass tray — on the front or side. This is actually the better option for label sheets because the paper path is straighter, so less risk of jams.

Labels go: face up, top edge first.

Important: Select “Manual Feed” or “Multi-Purpose Tray” in your print settings, otherwise the printer will try to grab paper from the main cassette instead.

Thermal Label Printers

Thermal printers are a different beast entirely. No ink, no toner — they use a heated print head on specially coated thermal paper. The printable surface must touch the print head directly.

Desktop Thermal Printers (Roll Labels)

For DYMO LabelWriter, Brother QL, Rollo, and MUNBYN:

Printable side faces the print head (usually upward).

When loading a roll:

1. Open the label compartment
2. Place the roll so labels unwind with the printable side facing up
3. Feed the end through the guides and out the front
4. Close the compartment

How to tell which side is printable: Scratch the label surface with your fingernail. The thermal-coated side shows a dark mark from the friction heat. The other side shows nothing. I check this every time I load a new brand of labels — it’s saved me from printing an entire roll of blanks more than once.

Desktop Thermal Printers (Fanfold Labels)

Fanfold labels — the zigzag-folded stack — feed from behind or below the printer:

1. Stack goes behind the printer
2. Feed the first label through the rear slot, printable side up
3. Print should appear on the top surface as the label exits the front

Handheld and Portable Label Printers

For portable Bluetooth label printers (Phomemo M110, Niimbot B21, etc.):

The roll loads internally with the printable side facing outward, towards the thermal head.

Every model is slightly different — check the diagram printed inside the label compartment. Get this wrong and you’ll print an entire roll of blanks. My partner did exactly that with her Phomemo before I showed her the scratch test. Twenty blank labels later, she now checks every time.

A4 Label Sheets: Types and Handling

Peel-Off Label Sheets (Avery, Herma, Label Planet)

A4 sheets with die-cut labels on a peel-off backing. Available in loads of configurations — 1 label per sheet, 8 per sheet, 14 per sheet, 24, and so on. You can pick these up from Currys, Argos, or Amazon UK.

Loading rules:

• Load with the label side in the correct orientation for your printer (see sections above)
• The backing sheet goes through the printer — labels stay stuck to it during printing
• After printing, peel each label off and apply

Template matching is critical: Make sure your document template matches the exact product code (e.g., Avery L7163). If the template is wrong, text will bleed over label edges and the whole sheet is wasted. All the major label brands provide free templates for Word, Google Docs, and their own design software.

Continuous Label Sheets

Some printers (mainly laser printers in offices and warehouses) use continuous label stock — a roll or fanfold of label material. Less common at home, standard in shipping operations.

Common Problems and Fixes

Labels Printing Blank

Thermal printer: Label is loaded backwards. Flip the roll or fanfold stack. Do the scratch test to confirm which side is printable.

Inkjet/laser: Label sheet is the wrong way round. Flip the stack and reprint. (Do the arrow test from the top of this article if you’re not sure which way is right.)

Labels Printing Offset / Misaligned

A4 sheets: Wrong template. Check the product code on your label box (e.g., Avery L7163) and download the matching template from the manufacturer’s website. Don’t try to eyeball it — get the proper template.

Thermal printer: Needs calibration. Hold the feed button for 5-10 seconds (varies by model) to run auto-calibration.

Labels Jamming

A4 sheets in inkjet/laser:

• Load only 5-10 sheets at a time — not the whole box
• Use the manual feed tray if your printer has one (straighter path = fewer jams)
• Check that labels aren’t peeling off the backing — old sheets stored in a warm place tend to curl and separate
• Confirm the labels are rated for your printer type (inkjet vs laser — this really matters)

Thermal printer:

• Check the label guides are snug against the roll
• Clean any adhesive residue off the print head and rollers with isopropyl alcohol
• Make sure the label size in the printer settings matches the actual labels

Labels Smudging

Inkjet: Use labels rated for inkjet printers — they have a coating that absorbs ink fast. Give them 30 seconds to dry before touching.

Laser: Shouldn’t smudge at all. If it does, the fuser temperature might be too low — set media type to “heavy paper” or “labels” in print settings.

Thermal: Thermal labels don’t normally smudge. If print is faint, bump up the darkness setting in the printer driver.

Printer-Specific Quick Reference

HP Printers

Model Series	Tray	Labels Face
DeskJet (rear feed)	Back	Up
DeskJet (front cassette)	Front	Down
Envy (rear feed)	Back	Up
OfficeJet Pro	Front cassette	Down
LaserJet (cassette)	Front	Down
LaserJet (manual feed)	Manual slot	Up

Epson Printers

Model Series	Tray	Labels Face
Expression Home	Rear	Up
EcoTank (rear feed)	Rear	Up
EcoTank (front cassette)	Front	Down
WorkForce (cassette)	Front	Down

Canon Printers

Model Series	Tray	Labels Face
PIXMA TS (rear tray)	Rear	Up
PIXMA G (front cassette)	Front	Down
i-SENSYS (laser)	Front cassette	Down
i-SENSYS (manual)	Manual slot	Up

Brother Printers

Model Series	Tray	Labels Face
HL (laser, cassette)	Front	Down
HL (laser, manual)	Manual slot	Up
DCP/MFC (inkjet)	Front cassette	Down
QL series (thermal)	Internal roll	Printable side up

Label Buying Guide

For A4 label sheets, always match the product code to what you actually need. These are the Avery codes you’ll see most often in UK shops:

Labels Per Sheet	Common Use	Example Product
1	Full-sheet labels, shipping	Avery L7167
2	Half-sheet labels	Avery L7168
8	Large address labels	Avery L7165
14	Standard address labels	Avery L7163
21	Small address labels	Avery L7160
24	Small labels, barcodes	Avery L7159
65	Mini labels, pricing	Avery L7651

For more help choosing a dedicated label printer, see our guide to the best label printers for small businesses.