Explore · Updated November 2026
Help with labels and printers
Find the right fix for incompatible refills, blank or badly sized labels, connection faults and return-label problems. Follow practical guides for your printer and booking.
Find the step that fails
Read the exact model from the printer and the code from the cassette or roll pack. Note which device and app sent the job. Keep one failed print or a screenshot of the message so you can compare it after changing a setting. Start with the row below that matches what you can see.
| What happens | Open this guide |
|---|---|
| The cassette or roll will not fit, feed or register | Match the refill family and exact model |
| Text or a postage label is too small, clipped or off-centre | Check page size and scaling |
| A thermal label feeds out blank | Check print side, media and the job |
| Blank labels appear between printed labels | Check feed, sensing and calibration |
| The print is pale or streaked | Check media and print quality |
| A parcel barcode or drop-off code is rejected | Check the code, print and booking |
| A label job stays in a Windows queue | Cancel the job and check Print Spooler |
| A handheld LetraTag has jammed | Follow the model-specific jam checks |
| Labels peel at the edges | Check the surface and adhesive |
Check the refill before changing the design
Match both the printer and supply code. Brother TZe and M cassettes, DYMO LetraTag and D1 cassettes, and LabelWriter rolls belong to different systems. For rolls, check the supported media, holder and sensing or recognition requirements. A LabelWriter 550 needs supported authentic DYMO LW stock, which is a separate check when replacing an older 450. TZe versus M · LetraTag compatibility · D1 compatibility · 450 versus 550 rolls
If a home label maker's text looks small, check the width, line count and wording before increasing the font. Brother states that actual PT-H110 font size depends on the tape width, character count and input lines. Compare a short sample at the intended width. Brother font guidance · Two-line labels · Tape width guide
Use the connection steps for the exact printer
For a printer that the computer or phone cannot find, start with the relevant setup guide. Check whether you selected USB, the local Wi-Fi network or a supported Bluetooth app route. A separate simple test can show whether the connection works before you return to the postage file. Windows · Mac · Brother QL Wi-Fi · Brother CUBE Bluetooth · Print a test label
Recover a return label or check its handover code
Start in the retailer or marketplace return record. Confirm the return reference, carrier and route before printing or travelling to a drop-off point. Retrieve the original file or use the issuer's replacement process if it is missing, damaged or unreadable. The barcode guide covers print quality and reprinting, while the carrier guides explain the supported files and codes. Barcode and reprint checks · Royal Mail · Evri · InPost · DPD
Check what the code does. InPost describes eligible retailer returns using a QR code at handover, while other services can require a printable label or a code for shop printing. Use the wording in the issued return instructions. For a Royal Mail printed return, its guidance says to clear the original dispatch barcode and keep tape off the new barcode. InPost label guidance · Royal Mail return-label placement
Check the parcel after the label prints
A clear print still needs the correct parcel, a suitable surface and an eligible handover point. Match the order reference and destination, place the label flat and keep the carrier's acceptance record. For repeated orders, use the same sequence so a reprint or changed parcel goes through the affected checks again. Label placement · Packed measurements · Repeat-order checklist
Common questions
What should I check first when a label will not print?
Note the exact printer model, refill code, device and app. Check whether the job reaches the queue, whether the printer feeds the stock and whether a simple test prints. Choose the matching guide for the step that fails.
Why does a new roll fit inside the printer but still fail?
Check the full media specification. The printer may require a particular holder, backing format, sensor type or recognition system as well as the right width.
Can I resize a postage label to fit my stock?
Use the provider's supported output and preserve its layout. Check the downloaded page size, printer paper setting and printable area. Royal Mail warns that resizing Click & Drop labels can affect barcode scanning.
How do I replace a damaged return label?
Open the original retailer, marketplace or carrier return record and recover the file or request a replacement through its process. Check the service, return reference and allowed handover location before using the replacement.
Does a returns QR code need to be stuck to the parcel?
Follow the return's instructions. Some codes produce a label at a shop, while an eligible print-free route can accept the code at handover. If the order gives you a printable shipping label, print and attach that label as instructed.