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Create and Print Barcode Labels with Square for Retail

Square for Retail

A suite of tools made just for retailers, so you can sell in-store and online seamlessly.

With Square for Retail Plus, you can create and print barcode labels using the following label dimensions, their respective printing templates and supported printers noted by the label manufacturer. 

Note: Barcode creation and printing are not available with Square for Retail Free. The label printers below are compatible with desktop and laptop computers only and will not work with iOS devices, Android devices or Square Register at this time.

Compatible Printers and Barcode Label Sizes

Zebra Barcode Printer

ZD411 supports Zebra Label: 38mm x 25mm.

The Zebra ZD410 requires a label roll with a 1” (2.5cm) diameter core – make sure to purchase a direct thermal paper label. Thermal transfer paper is not compatible with Zebra ZD410.

Dymo Barcode Printers

LabelWriter 550, LabelWriter 550 Turbo and LabelWriter 4XL supports:

  • Dymo Label: 19 mm x 64 mm

The LabelWriter 550 printer will only work with DYMO authentic labels. The LabelWriter 450 worked with third-party labels, but the 450 is no longer manufactured by DYMO.

Important to Note

  • For both Dymo and Zebra Label Printers, make sure to purchase a direct thermal paper label. Thermal transfer paper is not compatible with the above barcode printers.

  • Some labels and printers may be out of stock at this time. When deciding which labels and printers to purchase, make sure to check trusted retailers online, such as Amazon, or contact the manufacturers directly.

  • If you’d like your labels to contain a scannable barcode, make sure your items have an SKU assigned to them. Learn more about creating and managing items online.

Create Labels Online

To get started from your online Square Dashboard:

  1. Go to Items & Orders > Items section in your online Square Dashboard > Item Library.

  2. From the Actions dropdown menu, select Print labels.

  3. Select a label type, location, barcode format and label details.

  4. Choose to print labels by Category, Purchase Order or Item.

  5. Click CreateLabels.

  6. Click Print Labels Now or Download PDF to save the file on your desktop computer or laptop. Note: By downloading the labels to your computer, you’re able to revisit the file to print more labels in future and send the file to another computer.

Auto-Generate SKUs

While you can create and print barcode labels, you are not able to auto-generate barcode labels with Square for Retail. You can, however, auto-generate SKUs for your item variations during this process. To get started:

  1. Go to Items & Orders > Items in your online Square Dashboard > Item Library.

  2. From the Actions dropdown menu, select Print labels.

  3. On the Create labels screen, click Add item to select which item you want to print labels for or click Select multiple items to choose more than one.

  4. Once you select the item(s), click Create Labels. From here, if any item variations are missing SKUs, you’ll see a pop-up allowing you to either Continue without SKUs or Generate SKUs. Click Generate SKUs to auto-generate SKUs for the item variations missing them.

  5. From here, choose Print labels or Download PDF.

By downloading the labels to your computer, you’re able to revisit the file to print more labels in the future and send the file to another computer.

Recommended Printer Settings and Troubleshooting

Although conditions will vary depending on your computer and browser, below are some general guidelines to help you format your settings:

Setting Guideline
Printer Since we support two devices, from your printer settings, you will need to select your preferred printer. If your printer is successfully connected, it will appear in the dropdown menu.
System Dialog If you’re running into issues with label alignment or barcode clarity, try using the system dialog, rather than the browser dialog.
Paper Size Make sure to select the correct label size. For instance, if you’re using 1/2” x 1- 1/2” labels, you’ll want to select this option before printing.
Scale Make sure your settings are set to scale at 100%. Disable any setting that would Fit to print. If you’re still experiencing issues, try using the System Print Dialog and printing at 100% to scale.
Output Resolution The default output resolution is 300 DPI. If your barcode scanner is having difficulty reading the printed label, you may want to adjust the resolution to 300x600 DPI.
Drivers Make sure you have drivers downloaded for your compatible printer. View the Zebra driver list and Dymo driver list.
SKUs SKUs must be under 80 characters.

Windows Troubleshooting

If you are on a Windows computer, and you’re running into any issues, we recommend the following:

  1. Download Adobe Acrobat Reader.

  2. Once you’ve created your label(s), download the PDF.

  3. Open the PDF in Adobe Acrobat Reader.

  4. Make sure to print using the specifications outlined in the above section.

  5. Print.

Learn more about using Square for Retail.

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