Print DPD labels on a thermal label printer (100×150)

DPD uses a different business shipping tool in each country, so where you choose the label size depends on where you ship from. This guide shows that setting per country and how to set up a Zebra, TSC or Honeywell printer so DPD labels print full size and scan.

DPD tools by country

A4 is meant for office laser printers: DPD Czechia, for example, puts four labels on one A4 page. Shrunk onto one thermal label, each label becomes far too small to scan reliably.

Choose the label printer format in your DPD tool

Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania

DPD Baltics runs one portal per country: telli.dpd.ee, eServiss and eSiunta. In telli.dpd.ee, click your user name at the top right and open the profile settings, where you set the default paper size for parcel labels ("pakisildid"). DPD doesn't publish the size options: choose a single-label size rather than A4, and ask DPD's business support if only A4 is offered. DPD doesn't publish label-size settings for eServiss (Latvia) or eSiunta (Lithuania); eServiss has a user guide on DPD Latvia's instructions page, and DPD Lithuania can help with eSiunta.

No printer at hand? In Estonia (pakiautomaat) and Lithuania (paštomatas), the DPD parcel locker prints the label when you scan the QR code or enter the PIN.

Poland

DPD Polska's web app, DPD Online, prints labels and protocols "on a labeler or traditional printer". DPD doesn't publish the setting names: choose the labeler option, and ask DPD Polska business support if you can't find it. DPD's API offers the same choice: page format A4 or LBL_PRINTER, file format PDF, ZPL or EPL. At DPD Pickup parcel lockers (automat paczkowy) and points, the 14-character parcel number or 9-character sending code written clearly on the box replaces the label.

Czechia

In DPD Shipping, "Tisk štítku" (Print label) creates the label and "Tisk soupisky" (Print manifest) the shipment list. Labels come as A4 for laser printers (four per page) or A6 for thermal printers. Choose A6: DPD describes it as a 10×15 cm label for Zebra thermal printers.

Finland

DPD's Finnish website now redirects to PostNord. Ask PostNord which tool and label format to use; once you have a label PDF, the printer steps below apply.

Load 100×150 mm labels and calibrate

Use direct thermal labels, such as our 100×150 mm labels, 500 pcs or the eco labels, 1,000 pcs. "40 g" and "76 g" in the names mean the core diameter in millimetres. Desktop printers accept only certain cores, so check the core and roll diameter against your printer's specification first.

Load the roll printable side up and calibrate so the printer learns the 150 mm label length. Button steps are in our guides for Zebra, TSC and Honeywell PC42E printers.

Set the label size in the driver

If the driver's label size is wrong, the label comes out tiny or cut off.

• Zebra (ZDesigner driver): in Printing preferences › Page Setup › Media Settings, set 100 mm wide and 150 mm high; on a thermal transfer model, set Printing mode to Thermal Direct under Print Options.
• TSC (Windows driver by Seagull): in Printing preferences › Page Setup, click New under Stock, enter 100 × 150 mm and select the new stock.
• Honeywell PC42E (InterDriver): set width 100 mm and height 150 mm in the printing preferences.

Print the PDF at the right size

1. Open the label PDF, choose Print and select the label printer.
2. If the PDF page is exactly 100×150 mm (4×6 in), print at actual size (100 %). For any other single-label page, such as A6, choose Fit to page; some programs call it fit or shrink to printable area.
3. Print one label and scan the barcode before you print a batch.

Pale barcodes? Raise the darkness one step in the driver, or lower the speed.

Use direct printing if your DPD tool offers it

Direct printing skips the PDF. DPD CZ documents it for DPD Shipping:

1. In DPD Shipping, open Nastavení uživatele a aplikace (User and application settings) in the top bar, select "Přímý tisk" (Direct printing) and save.
2. Install DPD's supplementary printing application and log in with your DPD Shipping user.
3. In that application, click the gear icon and open the general settings. Set the label format to A6 and pick your printer under "Tiskárna štítky" (Label printer). To send manifests to an office printer, tick "Vybrat jinou tiskárnu pro tisk soupisek".
4. Turn on "Přímý tisk na tiskárny" (Direct printing to printers) and click "Uložit a spustit" (Save and start).

DPD lists Java 7 or later as a requirement for direct printing. The printer must be installed on that PC; DPD doesn't recommend a remotely connected printer. DPD recommends a printer that understands ZPL or EPL: Zebra printers use ZPL, and TSC DA printers are compatible with both.

Connect your webshop

• Baltics, WooCommerce: DPD Baltics publishes its own WooCommerce plugin. It prints label PDFs one by one or in bulk.
• Baltics, Shopify: DPD Baltics links to WSA DPD Integration, a partner app by WebShopAssist (not made by DPD). Its guide says to set "Label format" to A6, match the page size in the print dialog to it and keep margins at minimum.
• Poland: DPD Polska links to partner integrations: the DPD Polska app for Shopify by Octolize and the WP Desk plugin for WooCommerce (PDF, ZPL or EPL labels; skip its four-per-A4 option).

See also Shopify shipping labels on a thermal printer and WooCommerce shipping labels on a thermal printer.

Common problems