Printable file folder labels
For file folder labels, use Avery® 5366 or a compatible sheet: 2/3″ × 3 7/16″ labels, 30 per US Letter sheet. 2/3″ × 3 7/16″, 30 per sheet: the classic file folder tab label. The designer below is pre-filled with a colour-band design; edit it or paste a list, then download a PDF that prints at 100 %.
Updated · measurements from the gLabels template database
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In Excel, Google Sheets or Numbers: select the cells with the header row, copy, and paste here. The sample rows are replaced.
Text auto-fits at 21.3 pt (smallest label).
Print at 100% / Actual size, not “Fit to page”. Paper: US Letter (8.5 × 11 in).
Free prints one full sheet.
Font, style, colours, start position and printer offset
Print the alignment test sheet on plain paper, hold it over a label sheet, and nudge: positive moves everything right / down.
Pro, one payment, no subscription:
- Unlimited mail merge rows and sheets
- Open .xlsx files directly
- QR codes and Code 128 barcodes
- Serial numbering
- Your logo or image on every label
- Saved designs
- Saved printer calibration
- No credit line
Pro tools
The best sheet for file folder labels
Labels for the tabs of hanging and manila file folders: one category or client per label, readable when folders stand in a drawer. Avery 5366 puts 30 labels on one US Letter sheet in 2 columns and 15 rows, which is why it is the default for file folder labels here.
Each label is 3 7/16″ (87.3 mm) wide and 2/3″ (16.9 mm) tall, with a 1/2″ (12.7 mm) top margin and a 0.531″ (13.5 mm) side margin on the sheet. The longest line of the first sample row, “Acme Corp · 2026”, has 16 characters; at 10 pt one label holds about 3 lines of 47 characters, at 8 pt about 4 lines of 59.
Compared with 5366: Avery 5026 has 1.4× the label area and 18 instead of 30 labels per sheet and Avery 5160 has 1.1× the label area and the same count per sheet. Pick the larger labels when your folders need bigger type, the smaller ones when you print many.
Recommended sheets for file folder labels
| Sheet | Label size | Per sheet | Why it fits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Avery 5366 | 2/3″ × 3 7/16″ | 30 | 2/3″ × 3 7/16″, 30 per sheet: the classic file folder tab label. |
| Avery 5026 | 15/16″ × 3 7/16″ | 18 | 15/16″ × 3 7/16″, 18 per sheet, taller labels for two lines or larger type. |
| Avery 5160 | 1″ × 2 5/8″ | 30 | 1″ × 2 5/8″ for short tabs on third-cut folders. |
Wording ideas for file folder labels
Sample text you can paste into the designer; keep each line short enough for a 2/3″ × 3 7/16″ label.
- Taxes 2026
- Insurance – home
- Medical – receipts
- Client: Acme Corp
- Warranties & manuals
Tips for printing file folder labels
- Use a coloured band per category (taxes, medical, house) so folders sort visually in the drawer.
- One line in a larger font beats two small lines on a 2/3″ tab label.
- Start each label with the word you sort by (“Insurance – car”, not “Car insurance”) so the drawer reads alphabetically.
- If you relabel folders every year, keep the list in a spreadsheet and change only the year column.
How many sheets for your folders
One label per folder. For 90 folders on Avery 5366 you need 3 sheets, with no label left over.
| Folders | Labels | Avery 5366 (30/sheet) | Avery 5026 (18/sheet) | Avery 5160 (30/sheet) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 30 folders | 30 | 1 sheet | 2 sheets | 1 sheet |
| 90 folders | 90 | 3 sheets | 5 sheets | 3 sheets |
| 300 folders | 300 | 10 sheets | 17 sheets | 10 sheets |
Sheets, sizes and guides for file folder labels
Templates for file folder labels
Compare sizes and counts
Frequently asked questions
What size are file folder labels?
LabelGrid's default for file folder labels is 2/3″ × 3 7/16″ (Avery 5366, 30 per sheet). Other sheets that fit: Avery 5026 at 15/16″ × 3 7/16″ and Avery 5160 at 1″ × 2 5/8″.
How many file folder labels fit on one sheet?
30 on Avery 5366, 18 on Avery 5026 and 30 on Avery 5160. For 300 folders at 1 label each you need 10 sheets of Avery 5366.
Can I print file folder labels from a spreadsheet list?
Yes. Switch the designer to merge mode, paste your rows with a header (Client and Year) and each row becomes one label; placeholders like {Client} pull the values in. The free version prints one full sheet per list.
Why do my file folder labels print out of line?
Check the print dialog first: “fit to page” or any scale other than 100 % shrinks the sheet, and the labels drift. Choose “Actual size” or 100 % scale, the right paper (US Letter) and no “fit to page”. If every label is off by the same amount, use the printer offset in the designer to nudge the whole sheet.
Related
Related label ideas
- Binder spine labels Labels and inserts for the spines of ring binders, so a shelf of binders can be read from across the room
- Inventory labels Labels for stock bins, shelves and boxes