True-Size Print Test
Print this sheet and measure the square. If it isn't exactly 1 inch, your printer or app is scaling your labels, which is the number-one reason they come out shrunk.
- Click Print test sheet and pick your printer.
- In the print dialog, set scale to 100% or Actual size, never Fit to page.
- Measure the printed square: 1.00 in / 25.4 mm is true size. Smaller means it was scaled.
PaperReady true-size test · print at 100%
1 in
2.54 cm
2.54 cm
012345678910
The square is 1 inch. The ruler is 10 cm. If yours measures short, the print was scaled.
A shrunk square from a browser or PDF viewer is the number-one label problem. PaperReady prints straight to the label printer at true size, so what you design is what comes out. Open the app →
Frequently asked
Why is my printed square smaller than 1 inch?
The print was scaled to fit the page. In the print dialog set scale to 100% or Actual size, never Fit to page. If a browser or PDF viewer keeps scaling, print through PaperReady's local agent instead, which sends the label at true size.
What should the ruler read?
Printed at 100%, the square measures exactly 1 inch (25.4 mm) and the ruler reads 10 cm end to end. Anything shorter means your print path is shrinking the label.
Does this work for thermal printers?
Yes. Print the sheet to any printer to check its true-size output. On a thermal printer, load a large enough label or use PaperReady, which drives the printer at its real size.