Barcode printers
Barcode labels can be used to make checkout and inventory management easier in your retail store. You can use a supported label printer to print barcode labels for your products. The printer needs to be connected to a desktop computer, and you need to install the appropriate software.
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Supported barcode label printers
To print barcode labels for your Shopify products, you need to use a supported printer and associated software. The following barcode label printers are supported:
Barcode printer | Model number | Availability |
---|---|---|
DYMO LabelWriter® Wireless Label Printer | 2002150 | Canada, United States |
DYMO LabelWriter® 550 Label Printer | None | Canada, Singapore, United States |
DYMO LabelWriter® 5XL Label Printer | None | Canada, United States |
Zebra Label Printer (USB) | ZD220 | Canada, Ireland, New Zealand, United Kingdom, United States |
Zebra Label Printer (Wireless) | ZD420 & ZD421 | Canada, United States |
Zebra 2" ZSB Label Printer | ZSB-DP12 | United States |
Zebra 4" ZSB Label Printer | ZSB-DP14N | United States |
Zebra Label Printer (USB + Bluetooth) | ZD4A042-D0EM00EZ | Belgium, Denmark, Finland, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Netherlands, Spain, United Kingdom |
Brother QL Label Printer - Wifi | QL-1110NWB | Australia, United States Canada |
Bixolon Label Printer (USB) | XD5-40dK/BEG | United Kingdom |
The label printer connects to a desktop computer with a wireless or wired connection, depending on the model that you choose. The printer needs to be connected to a desktop computer with the required software installed, even if you start printing from your mobile device.
Software requirements for printing labels
To print barcode labels, you need to set up one of the following before connecting your printer to a desktop computer:
- The Retail Barcode Labels app — Design and print simple barcode labels from within Shopify.
- The Dymo Label software — Design and print comprehensive barcode labels. You can print the labels from a desktop or mobile device.
Connecting your printer to a desktop computer
To connect your printer, follow the quick start guides from the manufacturer:
- Dymo LabelWriter 450
- Dymo LabelWriter 550
- Dymo LabelWriter Wireless Printer
- Zebra ZD220 Printer
- Zebra ZD420 Printer
- Zebra ZD421 Printer
- Zebra ZSB Series Printers
Supported barcode label sizes for Dymo printers
To print barcode labels with either supported Dymo printer, you need to use Dymo brand labels in one of the following sizes:
- Small (1" x 1"), maximum of 6-8 digits
- Medium (1" x 2 1/8"), maximum of 22 digits
- Large (1 1/8" x 2 1/8"), maximum of 40 digits
- Butterfly/Barbell (3/8" x 3/4"), maximum of 8 digits (not available in the United Kingdom)
You might need to use fewer characters if you use letters or symbols because some of them take up more space than numbers.
Supported barcode label sizes for Zebra printers
To print labels with either the ZD220 or ZD420 Zebra printer, you need to use Zebra brand labels in one of the following sizes:
- Barcode - 10010037 (1.2" x 0.85")
- Barcode - 10010038 (1.25" x 1")
- Barcode - 10010039 (2" x 1")
- Barcode - 10015340 (2.25" x 0.75")
- Barcode - 10010043 (3" x 1")
- Barcode - 10010044 (3" x 2")
- Shipping - (4" x 6")
To print labels with a Zebra ZSB Series printer, you need to use Zebra brand labels in one of the following sizes:
- Zebra Barcodes ZSB-LC6 (2.25" x 1") - 57mm x 25mm
- Zebra Multipurpose ZSB-LC7 (1.25" x 1.25") - 32mm x 32mm
- Zebra Jewelry ZSB-LC8 (2.25" x 0.5") - 57mm x 13mm
- Zebra XL Shipping ZSB-LC1 (4" x 6") - 102mm x 152mm
Add barcodes to your Shopify products
You can add barcodes to your products in Shopify by using the following methods:
- Use the Retail Barcode Labels app to add barcodes to your products.
- Add a barcode to a product or variant details.
- Import barcodes in bulk as part of a product CSV file
Troubleshooting barcode printers
If you're having trouble printing barcode labels, then try these steps:
- Are you using a supported printer? These are the only barcode label printers that are supported.
- Is the printer properly connected? Make sure that its connected to both a power outlet and the USB port of the computer that you're printing from.
- Do you have an internet connection? You can't print labels for your products unless your computer can connect to Shopify.
- Are you using supported barcode labels? Your labels won't print correctly unless you're using supported barcode labels and you select the correct label size in your barcode template.
- Do all the products and variants that you're printing labels for have barcode numbers assigned to them? If there are any products without a barcode number in Shopify, then add the barcodes before printing their labels.
- Is the printer paused? Check the status of your label printer, and make sure that it's not paused and there are no printing jobs in its queue.
- Is the printer printing blank labels? You might need to clean your printer. You can find instructions for cleaning your printer in the [manufacturer's user manual (Dymo or Zebra).
- For the Dymo LabelWriter Wireless Printer: are you noticing any flashing lights on the side of the printer? If so, then please use the manufacturer’s troubleshooting manual to find the source of the issue.
You can also review the Barcode printing guidelines.