How to make a sheet of QR code labels

1. Pick the right tool for the job

You need	Use
The same code on every label	Sticker sheet, Identical mode
Numbered codes: asset tags, tickets, table numbers	Sticker sheet, Sequential mode with a {{n}} counter
A different payload per row of a spreadsheet	Bulk tool: see QR codes from a spreadsheet

Sequential mode substitutes a running number into your payload (for example https://example.com/table/{{n}} yields /table/1 through /table/40), for up to 1,000 labels in one PDF.

2. Choose the layout

Three Avery presets are built in (5160, 5163 and L7160, with the exact label geometry), plus a plain A4 grid for cutting yourself. Die-cut label stock is covered in detail in Avery labels with QR codes; the grid is the flexible option when you have a guillotine and plain sticker paper.

Worked example for an A4 grid: with 10 mm page margins you have 190 × 277 mm to fill. 4 columns of 45 mm codes with 3 mm gutters (189 mm) by 5 rows (237 mm) = 20 labels per sheet. Want more per sheet? Smaller codes are the trade: check the size still passes the 10:1 distance rule for wherever the sticker ends up, and stay at or above the 2 × 2 cm close-range floor.

3. Let the margins do double duty

A QR code needs a quiet zone of at least 4 modules of clear space on every side. On a label sheet, the gutter between labels and the white border inside each label are that quiet zone, which means:

• Do not run the code edge-to-edge on the label. Keep a visible white border.
• Cut in the gutter centre, so each label keeps roughly half the gutter as margin.
• If a caption goes on the label, put it clear of the code's margin, not touching it.

A cutting drift of 1–2 mm is normal with hand guillotines; the border absorbs it. A code printed borderless has no such insurance, one slightly angled cut and it is missing its quiet zone.

4. Print the PDF at 100%

Print dialogs default to "fit to page", which rescales the grid so nothing lines up with your cuts (and shrinks codes below the size you chose). Set actual size / 100%, print one sheet, and measure a label with a ruler before running the stack.

5. Verify, then commit

The sticker sheet tool sample-verifies generated codes by decoding them before packaging the PDF. Belt-and-braces for an important run: scan the first printed sheet with a phone, and run a photo through the validator. For environment choices (laminated, outdoor, handled daily) use error correction Q and see outdoor durability.

Gotchas

• Glossy sticker stock reflects; matt scans more reliably under shop lighting.
• Sequential codes are guessable: /asset/1, /asset/2 invites enumeration. Fine for table numbers; wrong for anything access-controlled.
• Inkjet + cheap label paper feathers ink at module edges. Laser prints crisper for small codes.
• Asset tagging at scale has its own patterns (ranges, prefixes, re-order sheets) covered in QR code asset tagging.

Make a sheet now: open the sticker sheet tool.

FAQ

How do I print a whole sheet of the same QR code?

Use a sticker sheet generator in identical mode: enter the payload once, pick an Avery preset or A4 grid, and print the resulting PDF at 100% scale onto label stock.

Can I make numbered QR code labels?

Yes. Sequential mode substitutes a counter into the payload (for example example.com/table/{{n}}) producing table numbers, tickets or asset tags, up to 1,000 labels per PDF on UseQR.

What size should QR code labels be?

At least 2 × 2 cm for close-range scanning, larger if scanned from further away: width should be about one tenth of the scanning distance. Keep a white border on every label as the quiet zone.

Do I need special label paper?

No, a plain A4 grid PDF cuts fine from ordinary sticker paper. Die-cut Avery stock (5160, 5163, L7160) just saves the cutting. Prefer matt over glossy for reliable scanning.