Printable shelf labels
For shelf labels, use Avery® 5161 or a compatible sheet: 1″ × 4″ labels, 20 per US Letter sheet. 1″ × 4″, 20 per sheet: a long, slim shelf-edge 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 28 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 shelf labels
Shelf-edge labels for pantries, libraries, stockrooms and garages. Avery 5161 puts 20 labels on one US Letter sheet in 2 columns and 10 rows, which is why it is the default for shelf labels here.
Each label is 4″ (101.6 mm) wide and 1″ (25.4 mm) tall, with a 1/2″ (12.7 mm) top margin and a 0.156″ (4 mm) side margin on the sheet. The longest line of the first sample row, “Canned goods”, has 12 characters; at 10 pt one label holds about 5 lines of 55 characters, at 8 pt about 6 lines of 69.
Compared with 5161: Avery 5366 has 57 % of the label area and 30 instead of 20 labels per sheet and Avery 5160 has 66 % of the label area and 30 instead of 20 labels per sheet. Pick the larger labels when your shelves need bigger type, the smaller ones when you print many.
Recommended sheets for shelf labels
| Sheet | Label size | Per sheet | Why it fits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Avery 5161 | 1″ × 4″ | 20 | 1″ × 4″, 20 per sheet: a long, slim shelf-edge label. |
| Avery 5366 | 2/3″ × 3 7/16″ | 30 | 2/3″ × 3 7/16″ for thin shelf edges. |
| Avery 5160 | 1″ × 2 5/8″ | 30 | 1″ × 2 5/8″ for short shelf sections. |
Wording ideas for shelf labels
Sample text you can paste into the designer; keep each line short enough for a 1″ × 4″ label.
- Canned goods
- Fiction A-F
- Paint & brushes
- Aisle 3 · shelf B
Tips for printing shelf labels
- Measure the shelf-edge height first; many edges are under 1″ tall.
- Label shelves at eye level for the people who use them (kids, staff).
- Combine the shelf label with bin labels so items go back to the right place.
- Removable labels let you reorganise without scraping.
How many sheets for your shelves
One label per shelve. For 20 shelves on Avery 5161 you need 1 sheet, with no label left over.
| Shelves | Labels | Avery 5161 (20/sheet) | Avery 5366 (30/sheet) | Avery 5160 (30/sheet) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 shelves | 10 | 1 sheet | 1 sheet | 1 sheet |
| 20 shelves | 20 | 1 sheet | 1 sheet | 1 sheet |
| 60 shelves | 60 | 3 sheets | 2 sheets | 2 sheets |
Sheets, sizes and guides for shelf labels
Templates for shelf labels
Compare sizes and counts
Frequently asked questions
What size are shelf labels?
LabelGrid's default for shelf labels is 1″ × 4″ (Avery 5161, 20 per sheet). Other sheets that fit: Avery 5366 at 2/3″ × 3 7/16″ and Avery 5160 at 1″ × 2 5/8″.
How many shelf labels fit on one sheet?
20 on Avery 5161, 30 on Avery 5366 and 30 on Avery 5160. For 60 shelves at 1 label each you need 3 sheets of Avery 5161.
Can I print shelf labels from a spreadsheet list?
Yes. Switch the designer to merge mode, paste your rows with a header (Shelf) and each row becomes one label; placeholders like {Shelf} pull the values in. The free version prints one full sheet per list.
Why do my shelf 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
- Inventory labels Labels for stock bins, shelves and boxes
- Pantry labels Labels for pantry containers, bins and shelves