# How to make Avery labels with QR codes

> Generate the codes in UseQR's sticker sheet or bulk tool, pick the matching Avery preset — 5160 (66.7 × 25.4 mm, 30 per Letter sheet), 5163 (101.6 × 50.8 mm, 10 per sheet) or L7160 (63.5 × 38.1 mm, 21 per A4) — and print the PDF at 100% scale onto the label stock.

Source: https://useqr.app/docs/how-to/how-to-make-avery-labels-with-qr-codes · Last reviewed 2026-08-21 · UseQR is free forever, MIT licensed, no signup.

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## 1. Know your stock

The three most common Avery formats, all built into UseQR:

| Preset | Label size | Layout | Sheet |
|---|---|---|---|
| **Avery 5160** | 2⅝ × 1 in (66.7 × 25.4 mm) | 3 × 10 = 30 labels | US Letter |
| **Avery 5163** | 4 × 2 in (101.6 × 50.8 mm) | 2 × 5 = 10 labels | US Letter |
| **Avery L7160** | 63.5 × 38.1 mm | 3 × 7 = 21 labels | A4 |

The size dictates the code you can fit. On a **5160 the label is only 25.4 mm tall**, so
after breathing room the code lands around **2 cm — exactly at the close-range floor**.
That is fine for hand-scanned asset tags and address-label use, but it leaves no margin
for long payloads: keep the encoded data short or the modules get too dense for the size
(see [size for print](/docs/print/qr-code-size-for-print)). L7160 and 5163 give the code
3–4.5 cm and are the comfortable choices.

## 2. Generate onto the preset

Two routes, both free:

- **Same or numbered code on every label** — the [sticker sheet tool](/sticker-sheet):
  identical mode, or sequential mode with a `{{n}}` counter for asset tags and table
  numbers. Pick the Avery preset; download a PDF laid out to the exact label geometry.
- **Different code per row** — the [bulk tool](/bulk) with your CSV or XLSX, choosing the
  Avery layout as the output. Column mapping and spreadsheet traps are covered in
  [QR codes from a spreadsheet](/docs/how-to/how-to-make-qr-codes-from-a-spreadsheet).

Both decode-verify the generated codes before packaging, which is the difference between
a label run and a bulk mistake.

## 3. Or mail-merge in Word

If the labels need rich text alongside the code, Word's label mail merge works: start a
label merge with the matching Avery template, and place each row's code image with an
`IncludePicture` field pointing at the UseQR API
(`https://useqr.app/api/v1/qr?data=...`). The field mechanics — and the select-all-F9
refresh Word demands — are in [making a QR code in Word](/docs/how-to/how-to-make-a-qr-code-in-word).
For codes-plus-caption only, the direct PDF route above is far less fragile.

## 4. Print at 100%, always

Avery geometry only lines up if nothing rescales:

1. Print **one sheet on plain paper first**.
2. Hold it against the label sheet in front of a light — the codes should sit centred in
   each die-cut area.
3. In the print dialog, set **actual size / 100%**, never "fit" or "shrink to fit".
4. Office printers drift by a millimetre or two; the white border inside each label
   absorbs it. That border is also the code's [quiet zone](/glossary/quiet-zone) — do not
   fill it with text.

## 5. Verify a printed label

Scan a label from the first real sheet with two different phones, and run a photo through
the [validator](/validate). Laser printers give crisper 2 cm codes than inkjets, which
feather ink at module edges on cheap stock.

## Gotchas

- **Wrong template family**: 5160-compatible stock sold under other brand numbers usually
  matches, but measure one label before a big run. A 1 mm pitch difference compounds down
  ten rows.
- **Feed direction matters** on some printers — labels peeling mid-path jam. Use the
  bypass tray if the printer has one.
- **Sequential payloads are enumerable** — fine for table numbers, wrong for anything
  private.
- **Dense payloads at 2 cm fail.** Encode a short URL, not a 200-character one; the
  capacity table shows how quickly modules pile
  up.

Start with your stock's preset: [open the sticker sheet tool](/sticker-sheet).

## FAQ

### What size is an Avery 5160 label?
2⅝ × 1 inch — 66.7 × 25.4 mm — arranged 3 across and 10 down, 30 labels per US Letter sheet. The height limits a QR code to roughly 2 cm, so keep payloads short.

### Can I print different QR codes on one Avery sheet?
Yes. Upload a spreadsheet to a bulk generator that offers Avery output — each row becomes one label. UseQR supports 5160, 5163 and L7160 layouts free.

### Why don't my codes line up with the labels?
The print dialog rescaled the page. Print at actual size (100%), never "fit to page", and proof one sheet on plain paper against the light before printing on label stock.

### Which Avery format is best for QR codes?
L7160 (63.5 × 38.1 mm) on A4 or 5163 (101.6 × 50.8 mm) on Letter — both fit a 3 cm or larger code with breathing room. 5160 works but sits right at the 2 cm minimum.

## Try it

- https://useqr.app/sticker-sheet
- https://useqr.app/bulk
- https://useqr.app/validate