How to Create and Print Shipping Labels in Microsoft Word

In Word for Microsoft 365 on Windows, choose Mailings > Start Mail Merge > Labels, select the label product that matches your sheets, add an address or connect a recipient list, and print a test page before using label stock. Word is useful for package address labels; it does not create postage, tracking numbers, or the carrier-specific barcode label you buy from a shipping service.

Before starting, check what kind of label you need. If you only need the sender and recipient addresses, Word can lay them out on compatible adhesive sheets. If you need a prepaid shipping label with postage and a scannable tracking barcode, purchase or create it through your carrier or shipping platform, then print the file it supplies. The steps below cover both a single address and a sheet of different address labels.

What You’ll Need

A Windows computer with Microsoft Word for Microsoft 365, or a recent desktop version of Word. The ribbon wording can vary slightly in older versions.
Label sheets, or the manufacturer and product number for the label stock you plan to use. The number is usually printed on the package.
A printer that can feed the label sheets, plus plain paper for an alignment test.
The addresses you want to print. For a set of different labels, use a recipient list in Excel or another data source Word can connect to. Keep the column headings in the first row, with one recipient per row.

Step-by-Step

Confirm the label format. Measure the label and note its product number before opening Word. Match the exact stock, including whether it is US Letter or A4 and how many labels are on a sheet. Two products can look similar but have different label dimensions or margins; choosing a near match can make every address drift out of position.
Start a label document. In Word for Microsoft 365 on Windows, open a blank document and select Mailings > Start Mail Merge > Labels. In the Label Options dialog, choose the correct label vendor and product number, then select OK. If the product is not listed, select New Label and enter the dimensions and page margins from the manufacturer’s specifications. Avoid estimating these values if you can find the package details.
Decide whether the labels are identical or different. For a sheet with one repeated address, choose the option for a full page of the same label in the Labels dialog, enter the address, and print. For one label in a specific position, choose the single-label option and set its row and column. For many different recipients, use the mail-merge workflow in the next steps rather than typing each label separately.
Connect your recipient list for a mail merge. With the label layout open, select Mailings > Select Recipients. Choose Use an Existing List to select an Excel workbook, or choose Type a New List to enter recipients in Word. If using Excel, put field names such as FirstName, LastName, Street, City, State, and ZIP in the first row, and keep each person’s details together on one row. Check for blank rows and inconsistent address fields before selecting the list.
Insert the address in the first label. Click inside the first label cell. Select Mailings > Address Block to insert a ready-made address, then use the preview in the dialog to check the format. Select Match Fields if Word has not associated a list column with the correct address part, such as ZIP Code or surname. You can also insert individual fields with Insert Merge Field and add line breaks or spaces between them. Keep the complete address inside the first label’s boundaries.
Copy the layout across the sheet. Select Mailings > Update Labels. Word fills the remaining cells with the same merge-field arrangement and adds the record-next instructions needed to move through the list. Do not copy and paste the first address cell across the table by hand for a mail merge; that can repeat the first recipient instead of advancing to the next one.
Preview the results. Select Mailings > Preview Results and use the next and previous record controls to inspect several recipients. Check long names, apartment or unit numbers, line breaks, postal codes, and any blank fields. If an address is crowded, adjust the font size or paragraph spacing in the first label, then select Update Labels again so the change carries across the sheet. Turn off Preview Results when you need to edit merge fields.
Print a test and finish the merge. First print the document on plain paper at actual size or 100% scale. Hold it behind a label sheet against a light source and see whether the text aligns with the label boundaries. If it does, select Mailings > Finish & Merge, then choose Edit Individual Documents to create a separate, editable document of the completed labels, or choose Print Documents to send them to the printer. For the first real sheet, use one sheet of label stock and inspect it before printing the rest.
Load the label stock and print carefully. Follow the printer’s instructions for which side faces up and which edge feeds first; printers differ. In Word’s print screen, confirm the correct printer, page size, orientation, and page range. In the printer properties, select a label or heavy-paper setting if the printer offers one. Keep scaling at 100% or actual size, and do not select an option such as Fit to Page unless the label maker specifically instructs you to.

On Word for Mac, the basic workflow is similar: use the Mailings tab and its label or mail-merge commands, then select the matching label layout. Dialog names and available vendor lists can differ from Windows, and printer settings are controlled through the Mac print dialog. If a product number is missing, use the manufacturer’s measurements to define a custom layout where that option is available. For carrier-generated postage labels, download the carrier’s PDF and print it using the carrier’s size and scale instructions instead of rebuilding it as a Word label.

Common Mistakes

Choosing a similar but incorrect product number: A small difference in margins or label pitch can shift the whole page. Match the exact code on the label package.
Printing directly onto expensive stock first: Always test on plain paper. A test can reveal wrong orientation, scaling, or feed direction before a sheet is wasted.
Forgetting Update Labels: In a mail merge, changes made to the first label do not necessarily appear in the other cells until you select Update Labels.
Using the wrong type of label: An address label is not a postage label. Do not cover, imitate, or substitute for the carrier’s postage and barcode label.
Changing table dimensions casually: Dragging cell borders or changing page margins can disrupt the alignment Word created for the selected product. Change the label template or font formatting instead.

Tips

Save the label document with a clear name, such as the label product number and date. You can reuse the layout later and update the recipient list.
Keep names and address parts in separate, clearly named spreadsheet columns. It makes it easier to rearrange the address and fix field matching.
Use a readable font and leave a little space around the text. Avoid decorative fonts, very small type, or long company names that may run into the next line.
Print only the page or range you need. If you are reusing a partly used sheet, select the correct starting row and column in the single-label option, and verify that the unused labels are positioned as Word expects.
Store label sheets flat and dry. Curled, damp, or heat-damaged stock can feed poorly or cause adhesive to come loose inside some printers.

Troubleshooting

Text is shifted or lands between labels: Check the label vendor and product number first, then confirm the document page size and printer scaling. Print on plain paper and compare it with the stock. If the whole page is shifted consistently, verify the printer’s feed direction and paper guides. If the stock is a custom size, recheck the label width, height, top margin, side margin, and spacing against the manufacturer’s specifications.

Every label shows the same recipient: For a mail merge, check that you selected the recipient list and chose Update Labels after inserting the address block. Preview the records before printing. If you typed an address manually or selected a full page of the same label, identical labels are expected.

Word cannot find the Excel list or the fields look wrong: Save and close the workbook, confirm that the headers are in the first row, and check that the recipient data is on the worksheet you selected. Reconnect it using Mailings > Select Recipients > Use an Existing List, then use Match Fields to associate the columns. Remove merged cells from the data area and avoid blank header names.

The printer jams or smears the labels: Check the printer manual to confirm it supports adhesive label stock and follow its loading directions. Do not send a sheet through repeatedly if a label has started peeling. Try a fresh, flat sheet and the printer’s recommended media setting. If your printer is not designed for labels, print the carrier or address label on plain paper and attach it securely, as appropriate for the shipment.

The label product is not in Word: Look for a custom-label option in the label setup dialog and enter the dimensions supplied by the manufacturer. If your measurements are uncertain, download the vendor’s Word template or use its online label tool. Do not guess at dimensions for a large print run.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I make shipping labels in Word for free?
Word can format and print address labels if you already have access to Word and compatible label stock. It does not provide postage or tracking; those generally come from the carrier or shipping service.

Can I print just one label?
Yes. In the Labels setup dialog, choose the single-label option and set the row and column that correspond to an unused label. Test the placement on plain paper before loading a partly used sheet.

Can I use an Excel address list?
Yes. Choose Mailings > Select Recipients > Use an Existing List, select the workbook and worksheet, insert the address block, and use Update Labels. Preview a few records to catch missing or mismatched fields.

Why do my labels print too small or too large?
The printer may be scaling the page, or Word may be using a different label size than the stock. Confirm the product number, page size, and 100% or actual-size print setting, then run another plain-paper test.

Can Word create a USPS, UPS, or FedEx prepaid label?
Word can print a carrier’s supplied label file, but it does not generate a valid prepaid label, tracking number, or carrier barcode. Buy postage through the carrier or an approved shipping platform and print the supplied label at its specified size and scale.

Will these steps work in Word Online?
Word for the web can edit many documents, but the desktop Word label and mail-merge workflow may not be available in the same way. Create or manage the label merge in desktop Word, then use the finished document or the carrier’s file for printing.

Try it: the Date Difference Calculator: days, months, years and weekdays between two dates, with the DATEDIF formulas.

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Sources: Function behaviour and menu paths: Microsoft Support documentation for Excel. Method & sources

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