How to make Avery labels with QR codes

1. Know your stock

The three most common Avery formats, all built into UseQR:

Preset	Label size	Layout	Sheet
Avery 5160	2⅝ × 1 in (66.7 × 25.4 mm)	3 × 10 = 30 labels	US Letter
Avery 5163	4 × 2 in (101.6 × 50.8 mm)	2 × 5 = 10 labels	US Letter
Avery L7160	63.5 × 38.1 mm	3 × 7 = 21 labels	A4

The size dictates the code you can fit. On a 5160 the label is only 25.4 mm tall, so after breathing room the code lands around 2 cm, exactly at the close-range floor. That is fine for hand-scanned asset tags and address-label use, but it leaves no margin for long payloads: keep the encoded data short or the modules get too dense for the size (see size for print). L7160 and 5163 give the code 3–4.5 cm and are the comfortable choices.

2. Generate onto the preset

Two routes, both free:

• Same or numbered code on every label: the sticker sheet tool: identical mode, or sequential mode with a {{n}} counter for asset tags and table numbers. Pick the Avery preset; download a PDF laid out to the exact label geometry.
• Different code per row: the bulk tool with your CSV or XLSX, choosing the Avery layout as the output. Column mapping and spreadsheet traps are covered in QR codes from a spreadsheet.

Both decode-verify the generated codes before packaging, which is the difference between a label run and a bulk mistake.

3. Or mail-merge in Word

If the labels need rich text alongside the code, Word's label mail merge works: start a label merge with the matching Avery template, and place each row's code image with an IncludePicture field pointing at the UseQR API (https://useqr.app/api/v1/qr?data=...). The field mechanics (and the select-all-F9 refresh Word demands) are in making a QR code in Word. For codes-plus-caption only, the direct PDF route above is far less fragile.

4. Print at 100%, always

Avery geometry only lines up if nothing rescales:

1. Print one sheet on plain paper first.
2. Hold it against the label sheet in front of a light: the codes should sit centred in each die-cut area.
3. In the print dialog, set actual size / 100%, never "fit" or "shrink to fit".
4. Office printers drift by a millimetre or two; the white border inside each label absorbs it. That border is also the code's quiet zone: do not fill it with text.

5. Verify a printed label

Scan a label from the first real sheet with two different phones, and run a photo through the validator. Laser printers give crisper 2 cm codes than inkjets, which feather ink at module edges on cheap stock.

Gotchas

• Wrong template family: 5160-compatible stock sold under other brand numbers usually matches, but measure one label before a big run. A 1 mm pitch difference compounds down ten rows.
• Feed direction matters on some printers, labels peeling mid-path jam. Use the bypass tray if the printer has one.
• Sequential payloads are enumerable: fine for table numbers, wrong for anything private.
• Dense payloads at 2 cm fail. Encode a short URL, not a 200-character one; the capacity table shows how quickly modules pile up.

Start with your stock's preset: open the sticker sheet tool.

FAQ

What size is an Avery 5160 label?

2⅝ × 1 inch (66.7 × 25.4 mm) arranged 3 across and 10 down, 30 labels per US Letter sheet. The height limits a QR code to roughly 2 cm, so keep payloads short.

Can I print different QR codes on one Avery sheet?

Yes. Upload a spreadsheet to a bulk generator that offers Avery output: each row becomes one label. UseQR supports 5160, 5163 and L7160 layouts free.

Why don't my codes line up with the labels?

The print dialog rescaled the page. Print at actual size (100%), never "fit to page", and proof one sheet on plain paper against the light before printing on label stock.

Which Avery format is best for QR codes?

L7160 (63.5 × 38.1 mm) on A4 or 5163 (101.6 × 50.8 mm) on Letter, both fit a 3 cm or larger code with breathing room. 5160 works but sits right at the 2 cm minimum.