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Laser printers work by fusing toner to your paper. If you're able to scratch away the toner, it probably means that it didn't fuse properly. In most cases, this problem can be solved by changing your paper settings to "labels" or "cardstock."

To change your printer settings, open "Printer Properties" and locate what paper type is selected in the "Media Type" section. The default setting is most commonly "Plain Paper" or "Unspecified." By changing this setting to "labels" or "cardstock," you're increasing the temperature at which the printer fuses the toner to the sheet. It should eliminate smudging, scratching, or smearing in the resulting prints.

If you’re still having problems, call 0203 051 9664 to speak with our customer service team.

The most common reasons for this problem may be either unclean rollers or the rubber on the rollers has lost its density. We suggest cleaning the rollers with an alcohol based solvent first. If that's not the problem then you may need to replace the rollers. When the rubber loses its density it loses its ability to grip the label sheet and therefore it will not feed.

A printer can jam for a number of reasons – most commonly it's trying to print on paper designed for a different printer type, it hasn't adjusted for the material's unique thickness or texture, or it has a dusty feed path.

First, make sure you're using the label type that corresponds with your printer. Inkjet printers need an absorbent material to capture the ink whereas laser printers need paper that can withstand the high temperatures during printing. Many of our materials are both laser and inkjet-printable, so this may not be your problem. However, for those that are printer-specific, they should only be used with the correct printer type.

You should also try modifying the material setting on your printer. If you're using a glossy stock, select a setting similar to "Coated," "Photo Paper," or "Gloss." For our matte materials, a heavier setting like "Label" or "Transparency" may be necessary.

If you continue to experience jamming, your printer's rollers may have gotten dirty from regular use. You should refer to your printer's manufacturer for cleaning and maintenance instructions on this issue.

If these quick fixes didn't solve your problem, call our customer service team at 0203 051 9664.

If the ink smears immediately after printing your labels on an inkjet printer, too much ink has been dispensed from the printer. To fix this, open "Printer Properties" and find "Print Quality." You want to select a lower ink setting such as "Draft" or "Normal." Depending on what material you're using, you may also want to adjust the "Paper Type" setting. We recommend selecting a paper type setting similar to "Coated," "Photo Paper," or "Gloss" for gloss materials and something heavier like "Label" or "Transparency" for matte labels.

If your labels are smearing after they've had time to dry, it's a sign that either liquid or another substance has been introduced to the label. If your inkjet label is going to be exposed to liquid, we suggest spraying the labels with an overcoat after printing. Krylon makes overcoat / sealer sprays that can be found at most arts and craft stores. Learn more about Krylon Weatherproof / Waterproof Label Overcoat Spray.

If changing the settings isn't resolving your issue and an overcoat isn't the best solution for you, try sending your document to another printer. Each printer is different and may work better. If you continue to experience issues, please call our customer service team at 0203 051 9664.

We don't recommend feeding a label sheet through a laser printer more than once. The heat from the printing process can cause the adhesive to soften or the sheet to curl. Softened adhesive can ooze inside the printer or cause the label to peel off. It can also soften the toner which can make the printed design smudge.

Nearly all of our laser-printable products are approved for use in copiers. Those not recommended are our weatherproof / waterproof and clear materials, as well as any of our inkjet-printable label materials.

Papers can shift during the printing process. In addition, some programs and browsers scale documents during printing. To fix it, try the following solutions:

• Try stacking your sheets neatly and evenly in the printer tray.
• In the printer dialog box that comes up when you hit print, look for "Page Scaling" and/or "Rotate and Center." You want both options to be turned off. For best results, use Adobe Reader.
• Run the Alignment Wizard in Maestro Label Designer. It will detect printer shifts and adjust your design automatically. Read the step-by-step instructions.
• Add a bleed to your designs to help minimize the impact of shifting. Learn more about bleeds in Maestro Label Designer.

For additional assistance, please call our customer service team at 0203 051 9664.

Yes. If you'd like to test whether a material will work for your application, we can send you a few sample sheets. Please fill out our sample request form and we'll mail them to you.

If your product is labeled "laser only," it isn't recommended for printing in an inkjet printer. While our "laser only" products likely won't cause damage to an inkjet printer, the ink may not properly dry on the sheet. This can lead to smudging even after an extended drying time.

Browse our inkjet-printable labels.

If your product is labeled "inkjet only," it isn't recommended for printing in a laser printer. In many cases, the facesheet or adhesive on our "inkjet only" products will not withstand the heat of the laser printing process. The high heat levels can cause the facesheet to melt or adhesive to ooze, leading to jamming and printer damage.

Browse our laser-printable labels.

The term "die cut" is used to describe the process of cutting shapes from paper and other materials. This process works a lot like a cookie cutter – we place a die cutter on our machines and run it over uncut label paper. The resulting labels have shapes cut into them that correspond to the shape of the die.

This means that the die line is the physical border of your label. You should design your label with the assumption that nothing outside the die line will print or remain on the label once it's peeled up from the sheet. If you want your design to go all the way to the edges of your label (as opposed to it having a white border), consider adding a bleed. 

Every printer on the market has a fixed, maximum printable area where the ink or toner stops. That space is called the "non-printable margin."

If your label configuration extends to the edge of your sheet or close to it, we recommend figuring out your non-printable margins. To determine what your printer's non-printable margins are, you can look to your printer's instruction manual or use our printer margin tool. Print the document and measure the 1" line in step 2. If the line is not an accurate inch, return to the print dialog box and select the "Fit to Page" or "Print Actual Size" option. Setting the "Custom Scale" option to 100% will produce the same results. Print the document again and remeasure. Once you're sure it's printing to scale, start from the edge of the paper and work your way in until you find the first full box, each box is 30mm wide. The numbers next to the first full box are your non-printable margins.

Use those measurements to adjust your label design. If you're using Maestro Label Designer, hover over the "Print" menu and click "Page Setup." From there, you can adjust your settings to fit within your printable dimensions.

A "bleed" is when you allow your design to transcend the dimensions of the "finished product." Bleeds ensure that once label paper is cut or a label is peeled up from its liner that your desired color reaches the edge of the label and you don't have any unprinted edges. Bleeds also account for any shifting that occurs throughout the printing process.

We suggest adding a bleed of at least 3.175mm or 1.5875mm to your design. This will account for the slight movement that can occur during the printing process.

Learn how to add a bleed using Maestro Label Designer.

Label sheets can shifting during the manufacturing and/or printing processes. While our quality assurance standards are in place to ensure that label sheets don't shift more than 1.5875mm, we recommend leaving 3.175mm between your design and the cut marks. Adding a bleed is another way to avoid shifting. Find out how to add bleed in Maestro Label Designer. You should also stack your labels neatly and evenly in your paper tray.

Unfortunately, this is most likely a problem with the printer. Unclean rollers and rollers that have lost their rubber density are the most common reasons you may experience this problem. When the rollers are dirty or the rubber loses its density, they lose their ability to grip the label sheet well. We suggest cleaning the rollers with an alcohol-based solvent first (we recommend referring to your printer's maintenance instructions when doing so). If that's not the problem, you may need to replace the rollers.

In some cases, there can be incompatibility issues with the label sheet and printer. If after cleaning it you're still experiencing jamming, please call customer service at 0203 051 9664.