Why Your 4×6 Shipping Label Prints Too Small
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Three sizes need to agree: the label content, the PDF page, and the printer paper. Work through them in that order so you do not compensate for one problem by introducing another.
1. Check the PDF page dimensions
Look at the document properties in your PDF viewer. If the page is still 8.5 × 11 inches or A4, the viewer may shrink the whole sheet onto a 4 × 6 label. A label surrounded by a large blank page needs cropping before printing.
Use the Letter-to-4×6 guide to produce a PDF with the intended page size. If the original service can export thermal labels directly, try that first.
2. Check how much of the page the label fills
Even a 4 × 6 PDF can contain a small label. In LabelCrop, select the full label plus its required white margins, without a large area of unrelated blank paper. Check the preview and scaling percentage. A selection with a different aspect ratio will leave space because LabelCrop fits it proportionally rather than stretching it.
3. Match the printer's paper size and orientation
Choose the actual label stock in the printer driver. LabelCrop exports 4 × 6 inches (101.6 × 152.4 mm), or the landscape equivalent. A driver preset named 100 × 150 mm is close but not identical; check the manufacturer's instructions and the physical stock. A6 is 105 × 148 mm and is also a different size.
4. Select Actual size / 100%
Disable Fit to page or Shrink to fit if it reduces an already correctly sized PDF. Set one PDF page per sheet; avoid multiple-pages-per-sheet or booklet modes. Check both the PDF viewer and the printer's own dialog. Names and available settings vary by device.
5. Print one label before the whole batch
Check that nothing is clipped, the bars are sharp, and the barcode works with your usual scanner or shipping process. If the PDF looks correct but the print is clipped, faint, or offset, follow your printer manufacturer's instructions for label calibration, print density, and media setup.
What cropping cannot fix
Cropping cannot repair a damaged barcode, create missing image detail, correct an invalid label, or guarantee carrier acceptance. Avoid repeatedly screenshotting and rescaling a label: use the original PDF when available.
Open the free PDF cropperIf you still need help, report the problem with the source page size, printer model, and selected paper settings. Do not send customer addresses.