How to Print Amazon Shipping Labels (A4 & Thermal) – Complete Guide

Printing Amazon shipping labels correctly is easy to get wrong if you're not paying attention to print settings — a poorly scaled or uncropped label can lead to barcode scan failures, rejected pickups, or wasted paper. Whether you're using an A4 printer or a 4×6 thermal printer, this guide covers every step to download, prepare, and crop your Amazon shipping label for a clean print every time.

Step 1: Download your shipping label

Log in to Amazon Seller Central, go to the Orders tab, and select "Manage Orders" to find the order you want to ship. Click "Print Packing Slip" or the shipping label option next to the order, and download the PDF. Amazon also allows bulk label downloads for multiple orders, useful when dispatching in batches.

Step 2: Understand what's in the PDF

Amazon's label PDF typically includes the shipping label with barcode and address, sometimes bundled with a packing slip section. FBA shipments may also include an additional warehouse routing barcode — this should stay intact even if you're cropping out unrelated sections.

Step 3: Crop the label if necessary

If you only need the shipping label, crop the PDF before printing. This keeps the barcode and address section intact while removing the packing slip or invoice details below it. Use CropLabel's Amazon Label Crop Tool to do this automatically — even for bulk multi-order PDFs.

Step 4: Print on A4 paper

For A4 printing, check your print dialog settings carefully before printing:

• Select "Actual Size" or "100%"— never "Fit to Page" or "Shrink to Fit"
• Set paper size to A4
• Disable any "scale to fit margins" option
• Print a test page first to confirm barcode alignment

Scaling changes barcode dimensions even slightly, which can cause courier or warehouse scanners to reject the label. Always verify with a test scan before printing in bulk.

Step 5: Print on a 4×6 thermal printer

Thermal printers need a different setup than A4 printing. Before printing:

• Convert or set the label size to 4×6 inches in your print settings
• Make sure the printer driver is set to the correct label size (not letter/A4)
• Keep sufficient margins around the barcode — avoid edge cropping
• Test print one label to confirm the barcode isn't cut off

If your downloaded PDF isn't already in 4×6 format, resize or crop it first so the label fits your thermal roll without distortion.

Common printing mistakes to avoid

• Using "Fit to Page": shrinks the barcode and can cause scan failures
• Printing packing slips unnecessarily: wastes paper and thermal roll on high order volumes
• Wrong paper size selected: causes labels to print off-center or cut off
• Cropping out FBA routing barcodes by mistake: can cause warehouse intake issues for FBA shipments

Bulk printing tips for high order volumes

If you're dispatching many Amazon orders daily, printing labels one-by-one isn't efficient. Combine multiple order labels into a single PDF using the Merge & Sort tool, crop out packing slips in bulk, and sort labels by SKU or courier partner before printing so packing stays organized during dispatch.