Why Avery 5160 Labels Print Out of Alignment — And How to Fix It

Published: March 24, 2026 · 9 min read

You've set up your mailing list, generated your Avery 5160 label PDF, and hit print — only to find the text is printing too high, drifting to one side, or progressively shifting down the sheet. This is one of the most common frustrations with label printing, and it's almost always caused by a printer setting, not a problem with your labels or PDF.

This guide covers every common cause of Avery 5160 alignment problems and the exact fixes for each one, organized by symptom so you can jump to your specific issue.

The #1 Cause: Print Scaling Is Not Set to 100%

This causes more alignment failures than every other issue combined. If your printer scales the PDF even slightly — say, to 99% or "Fit to Page" — every label shifts by a fraction of a millimeter. That shift compounds across 10 rows, so by the bottom of the sheet, text is visibly outside the label boundaries.

How to fix it

In your print dialog, find the scaling option and set it to one of:

• Adobe Reader: Select "Actual Size" (not "Fit" or "Shrink to Printable Area")
• Chrome: Set Scale to "None" or type 100 in the custom scale field
• Preview (Mac): Set scale to "100%" or uncheck "Scale to Fit"
• Microsoft Print: Select "Actual Size" or "100%"
• Firefox: Set "Scale" to 100% and uncheck "Shrink to fit page width"

Cause #2: Wrong Paper Size Selected

Avery 5160 labels are designed for US Letter (8.5" × 11"). If your printer is set to A4 (8.27" × 11.69"), the margins will be wrong and labels won't align. This is especially common on printers sold outside the US or shared office printers configured for international paper sizes.

How to fix it

1. Open Printer Preferences (not just the print dialog)
2. Find "Paper Size" or "Page Size"
3. Set to Letter or 8.5 x 11
4. Also check the paper tray settings — some printers have per-tray size configurations

Cause #3: Labels Printing Too High or Too Low

If the first row looks correct but subsequent rows drift, it's almost certainly a scaling issue (see #1 above). But if every row is shifted up or down by the same amount, the issue is different:

• Printing too high: Your printer may be adding a larger top margin than expected. Try setting margins to "None" or "Minimum" in the print dialog.
• Printing too low: Check if "Header" or "Footer" printing is enabled — some applications add a page header that pushes content down.
• Consistent offset: Some printers have a mechanical offset. You can compensate by adjusting the PDF margins slightly (add or subtract 1–2mm from the top margin in your label generator settings).

Cause #4: Paper Tray Orientation (Face Up vs Face Down)

Loading labels the wrong way means you print on the backing instead of the label surface. But it can also cause alignment issues because the paper enters the printer from a different edge.

General guidelines

• Most inkjet printers: Load labels print-side up, top edge first
• Most laser printers: Load labels print-side up, but check — some models feed face-down
• Manual/bypass tray: Usually print-side up, but always verify with a test print on plain paper

Printer-Specific Fixes

HP Printers

• Disable "HP Real Life Technologies" — this image processing feature can subtly resize content
• Use the built-in Windows driver, not the "HP Easy Start" driver
• Set media type to "Labels" if available in your driver
• If using HP Smart app, check that it's not overriding your scaling settings

Brother Printers

• Set paper type to "Thick Paper" or "Labels"
• Use the rear straight-through paper path if your model has one — this prevents label sheets from curling through the fuser
• On some Brother models, the default "Bi-directional" printing setting can cause slight horizontal shifts. Try disabling it.

Canon Printers

• Set media type to "Labels" or "Heavy Paper"
• Disable "Borderless Printing" — this stretches the image to fill the page
• Use the rear tray for single-sheet feeding

Epson Printers

• In the Advanced settings, ensure "Fit to Page" is unchecked
• Set paper type to "Plain Paper" or "Matte" (Epson doesn't have a Labels option)
• Use the rear feed slot for thicker label stock

How to Run a Proper Test Print

1. Print on plain paper first — never waste label stock on a test
2. Hold up to light: Place the plain-paper print behind an unused Avery 5160 sheet and hold both up to a window or light source
3. Check all four corners: Alignment may look fine in the center but drift at the edges
4. Check the last row: Scaling issues are most visible at the bottom of the sheet
5. Mark a reference sheet: Keep one printed test sheet as a permanent alignment reference

Quick Diagnostic Checklist

Still Having Problems?

If you've checked all the settings above and labels still won't align:

• Try a different PDF viewer — Chrome, Adobe Reader, and Preview can each interpret print scaling differently
• Try a different printer — if you have access to one, this quickly rules out hardware issues
• Use genuine Avery 5160 sheets — some off-brand compatible labels have slightly different dimensions that cause alignment problems
• Check your PDF — open it in a viewer and measure the page size. It should be exactly 8.5" × 11" with labels starting 0.5" from the top

Related Resources

• Avery 5160 Printing Tips & Alignment Guide — comprehensive printing setup guide
• Deduplicating Mailing Lists: LLCs, Trusts & Same-Owner Parcels
• Public Notice Radius Requirements: What Varies by Jurisdiction
• Radius Notice Mailing List Generator — generate your mailing list from parcel data