Blank Label Template in Word: Create and Save Your Layout

To create a blank label template in Word, open Mailings > Labels, choose the label brand and product number that match your sheets, then select New Document to make an empty label grid. For an unlisted size, enter the sheet measurements under Options > New Label. Save the finished layout as a Word template if you want to reuse it. Before starting, check the label package for its product number and confirm the paper size.

What You’ll Need

A computer with the desktop version of Microsoft Word. The steps below are for Word for Microsoft 365 on Windows; Word for Mac has a similar Labels feature, though dialog layouts may differ slightly.
The label sheets, packaging, or manufacturer’s product page. You need the exact product number, label count per sheet, or measurements to select or define the layout.
A printer that can handle the label-sheet paper size and type, if you plan to test-print. You can create and save the template without printing.

Step-by-Step

Find the label product number and paper size. Look on the label package for the brand and product code; many common sheets are identified by a number such as an Avery product number. Check whether the sheet is US Letter, A4, or another size. Do not rely on appearance alone: label sheets that look alike can have different margins, gaps, or label dimensions. If the package is unavailable, measure one label, the gaps between labels, and the distance from the paper edges to the first label.
Open the Labels dialog. Start Word and create a blank document. On the ribbon, select Mailings > Labels. In the dialog, use the Labels tab rather than the Envelopes tab. The Address box may contain text from a previous use; remove it so that the new sheet is blank. You do not need to enter an address or sample text to build the layout.
Open the label options. Select Options in the Labels dialog. In Label vendors, choose the manufacturer shown on the package. Then select the exact product number in the product list. Confirm that the displayed label dimensions and sheet arrangement match the package information. If the product number is not shown, use the custom-label method in the next step instead of selecting a similar-looking code.
Create a custom size if needed. In the Label Options dialog, select New Label. Give the layout a descriptive name, such as “Three-column address labels, Letter.” Enter the page size, label height and width, top and side margins, and the number of labels across and down. Enter the vertical and horizontal pitch as well. Pitch means the distance from the start of one label to the start of the next; it includes the label and the gap after it. Use the package’s specifications when available, and make sure the dimensions describe the whole sheet consistently.
Check the custom measurements before saving them. The number of columns and rows must fit on the selected sheet with the margins and pitches you entered. For example, if the labels are 2 inches wide with a 0.125-inch gap, the horizontal pitch is 2.125 inches. The side margin is the distance from the paper’s left edge to the left edge of the first label, not the distance to its center. Likewise, the top margin is measured to the top of the first label. Select OK to save the custom definition and return to the label list.
Choose the full-page label option. Back in the Labels tab, select Full page of the same label. This creates a sheet containing the same blank label position repeatedly. The Single label option is for printing one label at a specified position, not for making a full reusable sheet. If the dialog still shows anything in the Address box, clear it before continuing.
Generate the blank sheet. Select New Document. Word opens a new document laid out as a table, with one cell for each label. The cells may show thin gridlines on screen; these are usually editing guides, not printed borders. Avoid typing into the cells if you want a blank template. If you see unwanted text, select and delete it, taking care not to delete the table itself.
Review the page and save a reusable template. Check that the sheet contains the expected number of labels and that the page orientation and size are correct. Choose File > Save As, select a location, and set the file type to Word Template (*.dotx). Give it a recognizable name. Word may offer its Custom Office Templates folder as the save location; use that folder if you want the template to appear among your personal templates. To create a separate working copy later, open the template and save the new document as a regular .docx file.
Test the alignment before using label stock. Put plain paper in the printer and print one page. Hold the printout behind a label sheet toward a light, or place it over the sheet and check that each printed cell aligns with a label. In Word, use File > Print and verify that the selected paper size and orientation match the label sheets. Avoid scaling options such as “Fit to page” if they change the document’s size; print at actual size or 100 percent when that option is available.

On a Mac: In current desktop versions of Word for Mac, look for Mailings > Labels on the ribbon and use the same general workflow. The labels and options dialogs can be arranged differently from Windows. If the ribbon command is not visible, check the Mailings tab or Word’s available menu commands. Word for the web may not provide the same label-vendor and custom-label controls, so use the desktop app to create the layout when those options are missing.

Common Mistakes

Choosing a nearly matching product number. Similar label codes can differ by a small margin or gap, which is enough to move printing off the labels. Match the code on the packaging exactly, including any suffix.
Mixing up label size and pitch. Label width is the width of one label; horizontal pitch is the distance between corresponding points on adjacent labels. Entering the label width as the pitch can make columns drift or overlap.
Using the wrong paper size or orientation. A Letter layout printed on A4 paper, or a portrait layout sent as landscape, can shift the whole grid. Check both Word’s page setup and the printer’s paper setting.
Deleting the table when trying to remove text. A blank sheet still needs its table structure. Select only unwanted text inside a cell; do not use a command that deletes the whole table.
Printing directly on label stock before checking alignment. A small offset can waste a sheet. Test on plain paper first, especially with a custom definition or a printer you have not used for labels before.
Saving only as a normal document when you want a template. A .docx file can be reused, but opening it may mean editing the original. Save as .dotx to create a reusable template that opens as a new document.

Tips

Keep the package nearby while defining a custom sheet. Manufacturer specifications are preferable to measurements taken by hand, particularly for narrow gaps and edge margins. If you measure manually, use a ruler with clear markings and measure several labels to spot inconsistencies.
Name custom layouts so you can recognize them later. Include the label brand or dimensions and sheet size in the name. A specific name is much easier to identify than “My Label.”
Use Word’s gridlines as editing aids. Gridlines help show where cells are even when borders are not meant to print. If you want visible borders on the labels, add them deliberately; do not assume the on-screen gridlines will appear on paper.
Keep a clean master copy. Save an untouched .dotx template and create a .docx copy for each job. That way, names or other content added for one print run will not become part of the reusable blank layout.
Check printer feed direction. Printers vary in whether they take paper face up or face down. Use the printer’s paper-path instructions before loading label stock, and feed sheets in the supported direction.
Make one adjustment at a time. If a test print is slightly off, note the direction and amount of the shift, then adjust the relevant margin or printer alignment setting. Changing several measurements together makes it difficult to identify the cause.

Troubleshooting

The printed grid is shifted but the spacing looks right: The top or side margin may be wrong, or the printer may be feeding the sheet unevenly. Compare the test print with the stock and estimate how far the first label is offset from the sheet edge. Correct the corresponding margin in the custom definition, then print another plain-paper test. Check the printer’s paper guide as well.

The first labels line up but later rows or columns drift: The vertical or horizontal pitch is likely incorrect. Recheck the distance from the top of one label to the top of the next, or from the left edge of one label to the left edge of the next. Update pitch rather than changing the label height or width unless those dimensions are also wrong.

The number of labels does not fit the page: Confirm the paper size, orientation, row and column counts, margins, and pitches. A custom layout cannot fit if the combined measurements exceed the page dimensions. Check whether a gap was included twice or omitted when you calculated pitch.

The labels dialog does not show your product: Choose the closest available vendor only if its actual dimensions and sheet layout match. Otherwise, select New Label and enter the manufacturer’s specifications. If you cannot find the command in Word for the web, open the file in the desktop version of Word.

Gridlines appear in the document but not in print: This is commonly normal. Table gridlines help you edit the label cells and do not necessarily print. If you need borders to print, apply table borders intentionally; if you need a borderless blank template, leave the table borders off.

The template opens with old text or changes: Reopen the saved .dotx and check that the master itself is blank. Remove the unwanted content from the template, save it, and use a separate .docx for each print job. If a saved file is a .docx rather than a .dotx, use Save As to make a template copy.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I make a blank label sheet without entering an address?
Yes. Clear the Address box in the Labels dialog, choose Full page of the same label, and select New Document. Word creates the label grid without address text.

How do I make a template for labels that Word does not list?
Open Mailings > Labels > Options > New Label and enter the sheet and label measurements. Use the manufacturer’s specifications where possible, then test the layout on plain paper before printing on labels.

Will the table gridlines print?
Usually, the faint gridlines you see while editing are guides and do not print. Printed borders are controlled separately by table borders. Make a test print if you are unsure how the document is set up.

Should I save the file as .docx or .dotx?
Use .dotx for a reusable master that opens as a new document. Use .docx for a particular print job or a working copy you intend to edit without changing the master.

Can I create label templates in Word for the web?
Some basic editing may be possible, but the web app may not offer the full label vendor list or custom-label dialog. Create or adjust the layout in Word for Windows or Mac desktop if those controls are unavailable.

Why does a blank label template show boxes on screen?
They are likely table gridlines that show where each label cell begins and ends. They are useful for editing and do not mean the labels will have printed outlines. Check table borders if a test print shows lines.

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