Yodel shipping labels use the same 100 × 150mm format as most UK couriers, so they'll print on a standard 4x6 thermal printer without any special paper. As with every carrier, the thing that makes or breaks them is the print setup, specifically the paper size, scaling and darkness, because Yodel's network relies entirely on a clean barcode scan.
Set the paper size to 100 × 150mm
The foundational setting is the paper size in both your printer driver and the print dialog. It must be 100 × 150mm, or 4x6 inches, not A4 or Letter. If it's wrong, the label gets scaled or shifted, and a clipped or shrunken barcode is the most common cause of a Yodel parcel that won't scan.
Print the PDF at 100%, not 'fit to page'
Yodel labels arrive as a PDF. Download it and print at 100% scale with 'fit to page' turned off. Any scaling that shrinks the label also shrinks the barcode, and a barcode that's even slightly reduced can fail to scan at the depot even when it looks acceptable, exactly the failure our barcode guide describes.
Use the manufacturer's driver
Thermal printers need their specific driver to handle label sizes and darkness correctly. A generic or AirPrint driver often produces labels that look fine but are subtly mis-sized. Install the correct driver for your Zebra, Citizen, TSC or Brother printer, the same step we cover in our Zebra driver guide.
Get the darkness right
Darkness controls print density, and both extremes cause scan failures. Too light and the barcode lines are faint, too dark and they blur together. If Yodel labels look washed out or heavy, adjust the darkness setting, then scan-test to confirm the barcode reads cleanly.
Orientation and single-label printing
Print Yodel labels one per 100 × 150mm label, in the correct portrait orientation, rather than laying several on an A4 sheet. Thermal printers are built for continuous single-label output, and individual labels keep every barcode at full size, which matters most when you're printing a large batch.
Scan-test before you commit
Print a single Yodel label, scan it with your phone, and confirm it reads correctly before you run the day's dispatch. A ten-second test catches sizing and darkness issues before they reach real parcels, and it's the same habit worth applying to Evri and DPD labels too.
One printer for Yodel and everything else
Because Yodel shares the 100 × 150mm format with Royal Mail, Evri and DPD, a single 4x6 direct thermal printer and one roll of labels handles your entire multi-carrier dispatch. You change the label source, not the equipment, which is the workflow we lay out in our courier label comparison.
Frequently asked questions
What size are Yodel shipping labels? Yodel labels use the standard 100 × 150mm, or 4x6 inch, format, which fits a standard 4x6 thermal printer.
Why won't my Yodel label scan? It's usually scaling or darkness. Print the PDF at 100% with 'fit to page' off and check the darkness setting, then scan-test.
Can I print Yodel and Royal Mail labels on the same printer? Yes, both use 100 × 150mm, so one 4x6 direct thermal printer and one roll of labels handles both.
Yodel-ready, multi-carrier ready
Print Yodel barcodes cleanly on the same 100 × 150mm direct thermal roll you use for every other courier.
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