Troubleshooting Label Printing Errors (No Text/Image Displayed) on Barcode Printers

The print head temperature (darkness) is set too high/too low (the heat energy level is not suitable for the ink).

Printhead temperature  (darkness): You should set the printhead temperature (darkness) to a level appropriate for the type of  label  and  ink  being used. If you set the temperature to a high level (high darkness),  the barcode ink ribbon  may melt because the temperature is set too high for the ribbon. Generally, you should  adjust the printhead temperature according to the type of ink you are using . For example,  resin ink  requires a large amount of heat to melt the resin. If you set the temperature too low for  wax ink  (which melts easily), it may result in blurry or illegible printed text because the heat from the printhead is not enough to melt the resin on the ribbon. Therefore, if you are using  wax ink  , adjust the temperature to 0-7; for  wax-resin ink  , to 7-14; and for  resin ink,  to 14-20.

The page size or label layout has been set incorrectly.

Please check  your page setup  to see if any parameters conflict with  the stock size  you are designing.

If you skip the initial steps for creating the label template, you still need to follow the steps below to double-check the page setup and label size. You should also use a ruler to measure the actual label size instead of relying on the dimensions printed on the roll of paper. The label backing is usually wider than the label itself, so you must also measure the backing to determine the unused/unprinted margins.

For more information, please refer to the   page  setup guide here .

First, open   your  template.btw file using BarTender software.

Select File > Page Setup > Page > Orientation

Here, please select:

–  Portrait : This setting is used when you want to print  a vertical print  (a vertical rectangle, like a portrait photo).
–  Landscape : This configuration is used if you want to print  a horizontal print  (a vertical rectangle), rotated 90º clockwise.

File > Page Setup > Page > Page size

–  User-defined page size : Select a suitable label template from the list of pre-designed templates provided by  the Bartender software provider .
–  Custom : If the label size you want is not in the list of pre-designed templates provided by the provider, enter  the width  and  height  of the label in the corresponding fields.

File > Page Setup > Page > Layout

– Reset the number of  rows  and  columns  to the correct number.
– Adjust the  left/right  margins to match the actual size of  the label roll .

Note : The top-bottom spacing (label gap, label increment) between two rows/labels has already been handled by the driver, so you don't need to adjust anything in this margin section.

  • Click  OK  to save the changes.
  • Try reprinting your label design.

Note : Before printing, please go to  File  >  Preview  to check if your adjustments are to your liking.

The printer driver has incorrect settings.

Check the settings (configurations) in your printer driver to ensure they match your desired print specifications.

To configure the driver settings via BarTender software, please:

Open the file using BarTender software.

Go to  File  >  Print

Select the printer driver you want to configure in  the Printer  /  Name section.

Click on  Document Properties

Adjust the settings in the Advanced Setup ,  Options  , and Stock tabs in turn  :

  • Sensor  type: Set the sensing method to  Gaps  ,  Black mark  , or  no method/Continuous paper  .
  • Printing method  /  Label type  (Media type):  Direct Thermal  (direct thermal printing, no ink required) or  Thermal Transfer  (thermal transfer printing with ribbon).
  • Label handling  (mMedia handling): Includes options for pausing, pausing for tear-off, cutting the stock, etc.
  • Print speed  : As a general rule, the slower the print speed, the clearer the printout. Printing too fast can cause  label skipping errors  because the label feed speed is too high for the sensor to read.

Note :
– BarTender sends the printer driver configuration with each print job ( Document properties ), so it's best to configure printing directly from the BarTender software rather than from the driver in   Windows' Devices and Printers
section. – Label templates and driver configurations set in BarTender are saved as  .btw files  and will be set as the default configuration for the current print job, overriding the configuration in the Windows printer driver. The settings in Devices and Printers (Printers/Faxes) are default and will be applied to   future .btw
label templates. – The interface of the options above is from the Seagull driver. Drivers developed by other software providers may have similar options, but the interface (layout, names, etc.) may differ.

The paper roll or ink cartridge is installed incorrectly. Or the wrong type of paper or ink is used.

The printed text/image is partially missing along diagonal lines, and the printed content is incomplete/missing due to two main reasons:

  • When the ink ribbon roll is installed in the machine, it may not be flat or may be wrinkled, causing the heat emitted from the print head to be trapped, preventing the ink from melting completely and being printed onto the label surface (ink shortage error).
  • The pressure roller (rubber roller) underneath gets caught in the label, causing misalignment and preventing the print head from making complete/even contact with the label surface.

The printer driver, label printing software (such as Bartender), or Windows may be faulty.

The printer driver, printer driver, or Windows computer is malfunctioning.

Printing blank labels  (no text/images, not even a faint line) can stem from a printer error, a faulty printer driver, software, or operating system. To pinpoint the source of the error, please:

  • Perform a  test print  by  referring to this article . If the printer displays "TEST" and printer parameters, the problem is not with the printer but with the driver or the operating system.
  • Next, check the drivers. Completely uninstall the old drivers and then install the latest version.
  • The latest update. If it's okay, great; if not, check for errors in the printing software (Bartender or some third-party PM).
  • From the software you're using, choose to print to a different printer ( such as an A4/A5 laser printer 
    ). Try reinstalling the printing software! – If your office printer doesn't print, try reinstalling the software and printing again.
    – If the laser printer prints, then you should blame your computer's operating system.
  • To avoid wrongly blaming your Windows system, try installing the printer on another computer and test printing. If it works, there's a 90% chance the problem is with your other computer's operating system. You'll have to reinstall Windows then. Too bad!

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