Avery Label Template

What an Avery label template is — and why the product code matters

An Avery label template is not just a word processing document — it is a precisely calibrated grid that maps the exact position, size, and spacing of every label cell on a specific Avery product sheet.

The template exists because printing onto pre-cut adhesive labels requires pixel-level precision. If your text cell is 1mm too wide, it overflows onto the adjacent label. If the top margin is 0.5mm off, every row shifts — and by the third row, the text is sitting half on the label backing and half on the adhesive surface.

Avery solves this by publishing free templates for every product code they manufacture. The code is the key. Avery 5160 and Avery 5163 are different products, printed on different label sheets, with different cell dimensions and grid layouts. The templates for each are different. Using the wrong template with the right label sheet always produces misaligned printing.

This sounds mundane. It is, until you have printed 200 incorrectly aligned address labels at 08:45 on the morning a mailing needs to go out.

The Avery label system explained

Avery products are identified by a product code that encodes the sheet format, label size, and intended use. The coding conventions differ between the US and UK:

US format (4–5 digit codes). The 5000-series are laser/inkjet labels. The 8000-series are specifically optimised for inkjet. The first digits do not follow a strict logical hierarchy — you need to look up the dimensions directly.

UK format (L-prefix codes). L7xxx codes indicate A4 sheets. The L designation stands for laser, though most modern codes work with both laser and inkjet. L6xxx codes are for inkjet-specific products.

The most important codes:

Avery 5160 / L7160 (address labels).

• US 5160: 30 labels/sheet (3×10), each 1”×2⅝” (25.4×66.7mm), Letter paper
• UK L7160: 21 labels/sheet (3×7), each 38.1×63.5mm, A4 paper
• Use for: mailing addresses, return addresses, file folder labels, name badges (smaller text)

Avery 5163 / L7166 (shipping labels).

• US 5163: 10 labels/sheet (2×5), each 2”×4” (50.8×101.6mm), Letter
• UK L7166: 8 labels/sheet (2×4), each 99.1×67.7mm, A4
• Use for: parcel shipping, larger address labels, product labels requiring more information

Avery 5167 / L7651 (return address / small labels).

• US 5167: 80 labels/sheet (10×8), each 0.5”×1.75” (12.7×44.5mm)
• UK L7651: 65 labels/sheet (13×5), each 38.1×21.2mm
• Use for: return address labels, sticker seals, prize labels, ballot stickers

Avery 5371 / L7413 (business card size).

• US 5371: 10 cards/sheet (2×5), each 2”×3.5” — standard US business card
• UK L7413: 10 cards/sheet (2×5), each 85×54mm — standard UK/ISO business card
• Use for: prototype business cards, event badges, category labels

Where to get templates

Avery.com. The authoritative source. Search by product number at avery.com/templates. Downloads available as .docx (Word) and PDF. The .docx format is preferable — it is editable without specialist software.

Microsoft Word built-in gallery. Go to Mailings tab > Labels > Options > Label Vendors: Avery US Letter (or Avery A4 and A5 for UK). Select the product number. Word populates the exact template dimensions automatically.

Google Docs — Avery Label Merge add-on. Free from the Google Workspace Marketplace. Supports all major Avery codes. Enables mail merge directly from Google Sheets data. Install via Extensions > Add-ons > Get add-ons, search “Avery Label Merge.”

Avery Design & Print Online. A browser-based design tool at avery.com/print. Offers more design flexibility than Word (fonts, colours, image import, QR code generation). Exports a print-ready PDF. No software installation required.

Mail merge from Excel or Google Sheets

Mail merge is the process of automatically populating each label cell with data from a spreadsheet — so instead of typing 180 addresses individually, you connect the template to your contacts spreadsheet and Word fills in each label automatically.

In Microsoft Word:

1. Open a blank document. Go to Mailings > Start Mail Merge > Labels.
2. Select your Avery product code from the gallery. Click OK — Word creates a full page of label cells with merge field placeholders.
3. Go to Mailings > Select Recipients > Use an Existing List. Navigate to your Excel file, select the correct sheet.
4. Click inside the first label cell. Go to Mailings > Insert Merge Field. Insert the fields in order: <<First_Name>> <<Last_Name>>, <<Address_Line_1>>, <>, <>.
5. Go to Mailings > Update Labels — Word copies the merge fields to all cells on the sheet.
6. Go to Mailings > Preview Results to check the layout. Then Finish & Merge > Print Documents.

In Google Docs with Avery Label Merge:

1. Install the add-on from the Workspace Marketplace.
2. Open a Google Sheets spreadsheet with your data in columns (headers in row 1).
3. In Google Docs, go to Extensions > Avery Label Merge > New merge.
4. Select your Avery product code. Connect your Google Sheets data source.
5. Design the label. Click Preview, then Merge.

Tip: Before running the full merge, do a test merge with 5–10 records only. Print on plain paper. Verify alignment before loading label sheets.

Alignment: the most common problem

If your labels are printing slightly off-grid, the usual culprits:

Printer scaling. Check that your printer is not scaling the document to fit the printable area. In Word, File > Print > under Settings, ensure “No scaling” or “Custom scale 100%”. In the printer driver, ensure “Fit to page” or “Scale to fit” is unchecked.

Margin conflict. Some printer drivers enforce a minimum margin that overrides the template. If your template is margin-accurate but printing is still offset, try adding a small manual offset in the template (adjust the top and left margins by 0.5mm and test again).

Paper size mismatch. A US Letter template printed on A4 paper (or vice versa) will misalign because A4 is longer and narrower. Check File > Page Setup > Paper size matches your actual paper and label sheet.

Paper slip. Worn printer rollers cause paper to shift slightly during feeding. If alignment varies by row (correct at the top, wrong at the bottom), this is likely the cause. Use the manual feed tray, which grips paper more firmly, or have the printer rollers cleaned.

Common mistakes

Mistake 1: Using a US Letter template on A4 paper. A4 (210×297mm) is longer and narrower than US Letter (215.9×279.4mm). A Letter template on A4 paper will have incorrect top and bottom margins and may clip the last row.

Mistake 2: Printing without a test sheet. Label stock cannot be re-used once it is run through the printer incorrectly. A 30-second plain-paper test prevents a wasted £3–8 sheet of labels.

Mistake 3: Overcrowding the label. For address labels (5160/L7160), a clear, 11pt sans-serif font for two lines of address is optimal. Fitting four lines of 8pt text technically works but is hard to read, particularly at distance.

Mistake 4: Not checking for blank lines in the data source. If your spreadsheet has a blank “Address Line 2” for some records, the merge will insert a blank line — pushing the remaining address lines down and causing the address to overflow the label. Use conditional fields (in Word: IF merge fields) or clean the data to remove blank lines before merging.

Mistake 5: Inkjet printing and not allowing drying time. Inkjet ink on glossy label stock is slow to dry. Handle sheets immediately and the ink smears. Wait 3 minutes; it is fine.

Worked example: Thomas Albright’s parish newsletter mailing

Thomas is the administrator at St. Clement’s parish, Bristol. Each quarter, he mails 180 newsletters to the parish list. He uses Avery L7160 labels (21/sheet — so he needs 9 sheets).

His process:

1. Open Microsoft 365 Contacts, export to CSV: First Name, Last Name, Address Line 1, Address Line 2, Town, Postcode.
2. Open Microsoft Word. Mailings > Labels > Options > Avery A4 & A5 > L7160. Click OK.
3. Mailings > Start Mail Merge > Labels. Select the L7160 template.
4. Mailings > Select Recipients > Use Existing List. Selects the exported CSV.
5. Inserts merge fields: <<First_Name>> <<Last_Name>> / <<Address_Line_1>> / <<Address_Line_2>> / <> / <>.
6. Mailings > Update Labels. Previews 10 records — all correct.
7. Loads 9 sheets of L7160 into the HP LaserJet manual feed tray.
8. Finish & Merge > Print Documents. Prints 9 sheets of 21 labels = 189 labels. 180 used; 9 spare.

Total time: 12 minutes, including loading and print run. Zero misalignment — Thomas ran a plain-paper test on the first use of this printer and noted “+0.5mm top margin” adjustment in the printer settings, which he saved as a print preset.

Template sources summary