Avery label sheets come in dozens of sizes, and getting a document to line up with the one in your printer is the whole problem. The good news is that Microsoft Word already knows every Avery layout — you rarely need to download anything. The free templates below cover the common label sizes, and beneath them you’ll find how to use Word’s built-in layouts, a reference table of the most-used Avery codes, how to mail merge a list of addresses, and why labels print off-centre.
Word Already Has Every Avery Size
Before downloading a template, try this — it takes about fifteen seconds and gives you an exact match:
- Open a blank Word document.
- Go to Mailings >> Labels >> Options.
- Under Label vendors, choose Avery US Letter or Avery A4/A5 depending on your paper size.
- Scroll the Product number list to the code printed on your label pack — 5160, 8160, L7160, whatever it says.
- Click OK, then New Document.
Word builds a table matching that exact label sheet, with the right margins, gaps, and cell sizes. Turn on Layout ? View Gridlines so you can see the cells while you type.
The list covers hundreds of Avery products plus other vendors, and it’s updated with Word itself. For any standard sheet, this is a better starting point than any downloaded file — the dimensions come from the manufacturer’s own specifications.
Downloadable templates are still useful for two things: label sheets that don’t appear in Word’s vendor list, and designs where the layout is already filled in with borders, backgrounds, or artwork that you just want to type over.
Common Avery Label Sizes
The codes you’ll meet most often. Check the number on your pack before printing — sizes vary between similar-looking products:
| Avery code | Label size | Per sheet | Typical use |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5160 / 8160 | 1″ × 2″ | 30 | Address labels — the most common of all |
| 5161 / 8161 | 1″ × 4″ | 20 | Wider address labels |
| 5162 / 8162 | 1″ × 4″ | 14 | Address, file folder |
| 5163 / 8163 | 2″ × 4″ | 10 | Shipping labels |
| 5164 / 8164 | 3″ × 4″ | 6 | Large shipping labels |
| 5167 / 8167 | ½” × 1¾” | 80 | Return address, small product labels |
| 5395 | 2″ × 3″ | 8 | Name badges |
| 22806 | 2″ × 2″ square | 12 | Product and craft labels |
| L7160 (A4) | 63.5 × 38.1 mm | 21 | Address labels — the A4 standard |
| L7163 (A4) | 99.1 × 38.1 mm | 14 | Larger A4 address labels |
Other brands publish equivalents to these codes, so a sheet bought elsewhere will usually state which Avery size it matches — use that code in Word and the layout will fit.
5160 or 8160? They’re the Same Size
A question people search for directly, and the answer is simpler than it looks: 5160 and 8160 are the same dimensions — 1″ × 2″, thirty to a sheet. The difference is the sheet’s coating and intended printer, with one range designed for laser printers and the other for inkjet.
For laying out a document it makes no difference: pick either in Word and the layout is identical. It matters when you buy the labels, because the wrong coating can smudge or won’t take toner cleanly. The same pairing applies across the range — 5161/8161, 5162/8162, 5163/8163 and so on.
Free Label Templates
Each template below is editable in Word. Check the code on your label pack against the size noted for each file before printing.
Printing a List of Addresses: Mail Merge
Typing thirty addresses into thirty cells is the slow way. If your addresses are in a spreadsheet, Word will fill the sheet for you:
- Prepare the list in Excel — one row per recipient, with a heading row: Name, Address1, Address2, City, Postcode. Save and close it.
- In Word: Mailings >> Start Mail Merge >> Labels, then pick your Avery product number as above.
- Mailings >> Select Recipients >> Use an Existing List, and choose your spreadsheet.
- In the first label, click Insert Merge Field and add each field, with line breaks and spaces exactly as you want them to appear.
- Click Update Labels — this copies the layout to every cell on the sheet. Skip it and only the first label fills in, which is the most common mail merge mistake.
- Preview Results to check, then Finish & Merge >> Edit Individual Documents to produce the finished sheets.
Two things worth knowing. If some addresses have no second line, use Rules >> Skip Record If, or Word leaves a blank line in the middle of those labels. And to print only part of your list — say, labels 31 to 60 — filter the recipient list rather than editing the spreadsheet.
Why Labels Print Off-Centre
Almost every alignment problem has one of four causes:
- Scaling. The biggest one. If your print dialog says “Fit to page,” “Shrink to fit,” or anything other than 100% or “Actual size,” every label on the sheet shifts. Turn scaling off before anything else.
- Wrong product code. Similar-looking sheets differ by a few millimetres, which is enough. Check the number on the pack rather than the box it came in.
- Paper size mismatch — an A4 layout printed on US Letter, or the reverse. Word’s Avery A4 list and Avery US Letter list are separate for this reason.
- Printer feed. Some printers pull slightly differently from the manual tray than the main one. If you’re a millimetre out consistently, try the other tray.
Always test on plain paper first. Print one sheet, hold it up to a blank label sheet against a window or a lamp, and check the alignment before committing a sheet of labels. It takes thirty seconds and it saves the sheet you’d otherwise waste.
A few more practical points. Feed label sheets one at a time if your printer is temperamental — they’re thicker than paper and prone to jamming in a full stack. Don’t reuse a part-used sheet through a laser printer, since the heat can lift the remaining labels and leave adhesive on the drum. And if labels come out of the printer smudging, check you have the right coating for your printer type.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Word have Avery label templates built in?
Yes. Go to Mailings >> Labels >> Options, choose Avery US Letter or Avery A4 as the vendor, and select your product number. Word builds a table matching that sheet exactly. For standard sizes this is more reliable than any downloaded file.
What is the difference between Avery 5160 and 8160?
Nothing dimensionally — both are 1″ × 2″, thirty labels per sheet. The difference is the sheet coating, with one range intended for laser printers and the other for inkjet. Either product number produces the same layout in Word.
What size is Avery 5160?
1 inch by 2 inches, with thirty labels on a US Letter sheet. It’s the standard address label size and the most widely used Avery product.
How do I print addresses from a spreadsheet onto labels?
Use mail merge: Mailings >> Start Mail Merge >> Labels, select your product number, connect your spreadsheet as the recipient list, insert the merge fields into the first label, then click Update Labels to copy the layout to the whole sheet before merging.
Why are my labels printing off-centre?
Usually because the print dialog is scaling the document. Set it to 100% or “Actual size” rather than “Fit to page.” Also check you selected the right product code and the correct paper size, and test on plain paper held against a label sheet before printing.
Can I use these templates with other label brands?
Yes, provided the sheet layout matches. Most manufacturers publish which Avery code their product is equivalent to — use that code and the layout will fit. Always check the dimensions against your pack before printing a full sheet.
How do I see the label outlines in Word?
The labels are a table with invisible borders. Click inside it, then go to Layout >> View Gridlines to show the cell boundaries on screen. They don’t print — they just make it much easier to see what you’re typing into.
Pete Smith is a Business Management graduate and a passionate advocate for practical, accessible resources that empower professionals and entrepreneurs to succeed. With a strong foundation in organizational strategy and operational efficiency, Pete combines academic knowledge with real-world insights to simplify complex business processes. He is the creator behind a growing online platform dedicated to offering free, high-quality documents, templates, and actionable tips designed to save time and improve productivity.