QuickPack: How to set up and use Shippo Print

Printing labels shouldn't slow your team down. Shippo Print lets you send shipping labels, packing slips, and pick lists directly to your printer — no downloading files, no opening PDFs, no extra steps.

Click Buy & print on your Orders page and your documents go straight to your selected printer.

What you need

Before setting up Shippo Print, confirm your workstation meets these requirements.

Supported operating systems

• Windows 7 or newer
• macOS (Intel or Apple Silicon)
• Linux

Shippo Print is not available on mobile devices, tablets, or Chromebooks.

Supported browsers

• Google Chrome
• Microsoft Edge
• Mozilla Firefox
• Safari (macOS only)
• Brave
• Opera

Shippo Print does not work with Internet Explorer or outdated browser versions. For the best experience, keep your browser up to date.

Supported printers

Shippo Print works with any printer that's installed and recognized by your computer's operating system, including:

• USB-connected printers
• Network printers (Wi-Fi or Ethernet)

This includes both standard printers (inkjet, laser) and thermal label printers (such as Zebra, Rollo, and DYMO). When setting up your print preferences, make sure to choose the format that matches your printer type — for example, 4x6 for thermal label printers or 8.5x11 PDF for standard printers. Selecting the wrong format can cause labels to print incorrectly or not at all.

Not supported

• ChromeOS, iOS, iPadOS, and Android devices
• Printers that are not installed in your operating system's printer settings
• Printers connected only via Bluetooth
• Locked-down or managed IT environments that restrict software installation

Set up Shippo Print

Shippo Print requires a one-time download and installation on each computer your team uses to print. Here's how to get it running.

Step 1: Go to printing settings

1. From your Shippo dashboard, click Settings in the left navigation
2. Click Printing
3. Select the Labels tab

Step 2: Download and install Shippo Print

1. You'll see a prompt to download Shippo Print for your operating system — Shippo automatically detects your OS and shows the right version
2. Click Download for [your OS]
3. Open the downloaded file and follow the installation steps on your computer

Shippo detects your operating system and offers the correct download automatically. If the download doesn't work or the installer fails, confirm your computer's architecture:

• macOS: Apple menu > About This Mac > Chip (Intel or Apple Silicon)
• Windows: Settings > System > About > System type (64-bit or ARM)
• Linux: Open a terminal and run uname -m

If your operating system isn't supported or you're on a mobile or tablet device, you won't see the download option. You can still print by downloading documents as PDFs.

Step 3: Complete setup

1. After installation, return to Settings > Printing in Shippo
2. You'll see a "Setup in progress" message while Shippo connects to the printing software on your computer
3. Once connected, a "Success! Your printers are connected to Shippo" confirmation appears at the top of the page
4. Your available printers will now be listed under the Labels tab in the Print preferences section

If setup takes longer than expected or you see an error, check the Troubleshooting section below.

Step 4: Select your default printer

1. Once Shippo Print is connected, your available printers appear in Settings > Printing
2. Choose the printer you want to use as the default for labels, packing slips, and pick lists
3. Click Save

Your default printer is used every time you or your team prints from Shippo on this workstation. Each workstation can have its own default printer.

What happens next

After setup is complete, the Buy & print button becomes available on the Orders page. When you purchase a label, Shippo sends it directly to your selected printer.

Important notes

• Shippo Print must be installed on each computer your team uses to print
• Each workstation can have its own default printer
• If Shippo Print isn't running or your printer is unavailable, you can always download documents as PDFs instead
• If you haven't selected a default printer in Shippo, it will use your computer's default printer when available
• You can update your default printer anytime in Settings > Printing > Labels

Manage your printing preferences

Go to Settings > Printing to configure how labels, packing slips, and pick lists are printed.

Labels

• Format: Choose the document format based on your printer type — for example, 4x6 for thermal printers or 8.5x11 for standard printers
• Print preferences: Choose whether labels and packing slips print together as one document or separately
• If you use a thermal label printer (like Zebra, Rollo, or DYMO): make sure you select the 4x6 label format in your print preferences. Thermal printers use a different print format than standard inkjet or laser printers — selecting the wrong format can result in labels that don't print correctly or print blank.
• Print color: Choose whether documents print in color or black and white. This applies per document type (labels, packing slips, pick lists). 

Packing slips

• Show pricing on packing slip: Toggle whether item prices appear on printed packing slips

Pick lists

• Pick list grouping: Choose to group by items, by orders, or by items and orders
• Item details: Sort by name, quantity, or SKU, and toggle whether SKU codes are visible
• Show pick list configuration every time: When turned on, Shippo prompts you to confirm preferences each time you generate a pick list

For more details on creating and configuring pick lists, see QuickPack: How to create pick lists in Shippo.

Print labels with Shippo Print

Once Shippo Print is set up and your default printer is selected, printing happens in one click during the label purchase flow.

Print a single label

1. From the Orders page, select the order you want to fulfill
2. In the side panel, confirm your shipment details — addresses, package info, shipment date, and rate
3. Click Buy & print
4. Shippo purchases the label and sends it directly to your printer — you'll see a "Sending label and packing slip to printer…" status while it prints
5. Once complete, a "Label and packing slip sent to printer" confirmation appears, along with options to download documents or send a tracking email

If you only want to buy the label without printing, click Buy only instead. You can always print or download later from the Shipments page.

Print labels in bulk

When purchasing labels for multiple orders, Shippo Print sends all labels and packing slips (if configured) to your printer automatically. The same Buy & print flow applies — select multiple orders before purchasing.

For more on bulk label purchasing, see How to Create Multiple Labels at Once in Shippo.

Download and print manually

If Shippo Print can't reach your printer — for example, if the printing software isn't running or your printer is offline — you can download your documents as a PDF and print them manually. After purchasing a label, click Download documents from the confirmation panel.

For more on reprinting, see How to Reprint Labels in Shippo.

Printer status messages

During printing, Shippo shows real-time status updates so you know what's happening. Here's what each message means.

Printing in progress

Successful

Printer needs attention

These messages mean your printer needs a quick fix before it can continue. After resolving the issue, click Retry to resend the print job.

Printer errors

These messages mean the print job could not be completed. You can retry or download documents as a PDF instead.

Troubleshooting Shippo Print

Shippo Print isn't connecting during setup

If you see a "Setup in progress" message that doesn't resolve, or an error appears during setup:

• Make sure the install completed. Check your computer's applications to confirm Shippo Print finished installing. If the download was interrupted, try again from Settings > Printing.
• Refresh your browser. After installation, go back to Shippo and refresh the page. The connection can take a few moments.
• Restart the printing software. If Shippo still isn't connecting, restart the Shippo Print application on your computer. You can find it in your system tray (Windows) or menu bar (macOS).
• Check your browser. Make sure you're using a supported browser and it's up to date.
• Check for operating system and web browser updates. Make sure your hardware and software are both up-to-date.
• Check for IT restrictions. In managed IT environments, the following can prevent Shippo Print from working: software installation policies, browser permission settings (including local network access), printer driver restrictions, or firewall rules. If your workstation is managed by an IT team, share these requirements with them so they can allow Shippo Print to run.
• Check your browser's local network access setting. Shippo Print needs your browser to allow the Shippo website to communicate with software on your computer. In most browsers, this setting is enabled by default. If you or your IT team have changed local network permissions, Shippo Print won't be able to connect. Check your browser's privacy or security settings and make sure local network access is allowed for goshippo.com. 

Printer not showing up in Shippo

If your printer doesn't appear in the printer list after setup:

• Confirm the printer is connected to your computer. Open your computer's printer settings (System Settings on Mac or Devices > Printers on Windows) and verify the printer is listed and online.
• Try a different connection. If you're using USB, try unplugging and reconnecting. For network printers, confirm the printer is on the same Wi-Fi or network as your computer.
• Refresh Shippo. After confirming the printer is visible on your computer, refresh your browser.
• Restart the printing software. Close and reopen the Shippo Print application, then refresh Shippo.
• Check for operating system and web browser updates. Make sure your hardware and software are both up-to-date.

Printer was working but stopped

If printing was working and has stopped:

• Check that the printing software is still running. Look for the Shippo Print icon in your system tray (Windows) or menu bar (macOS). If it's not there, reopen the application.
• Check your printer. Make sure the printer is powered on, has paper loaded, and is connected.
• Refresh your browser. A browser refresh can often re-establish the connection.
• Restart the printing software. Close and reopen the Shippo Print application.
• Check for operating system and web browser updates. Make sure your hardware and software are both up-to-date.

Labels printing to the wrong printer

• Go to Settings > Printing and confirm the correct printer is selected as your default.
• Shippo identifies printers by the name your operating system assigns them. If a printer was recently renamed, reconnected, or updated by your IT team, it may appear as a new device in Shippo. Re-select it as your default and click Save.

Printer not compatible with the label format

• Go to Settings > Printing and confirm the correct printer is selected as your default.
• If the correct printer is selected and isn’t compatible with your default label format, please update it and click Save.

Print job stuck or taking too long

If you see "Sending label to printer…" for more than 30 seconds:

• Check that your printer is on and connected
• Check for any issues on the printer itself (paper jam, out of paper, etc.)
• Click Retry to resend the print job
• If the issue continues, download the document as a PDF and print manually

FAQs

Do I need to install Shippo Print on every computer?

Yes. Shippo Print needs to be installed on each computer your team uses to print labels. Each workstation can have its own default printer.

Can I still download labels as PDFs?

Yes. You can always click Buy only to purchase a label without printing, and download it as a PDF from the confirmation panel or the Shipments page. PDF download is also available as a fallback if Shippo Print can't reach your printer.

What printers work with Shippo Print?

Shippo Print works with most USB-connected and network printers that are recognized by your computer's operating system. This includes both standard printers (inkjet, laser) and thermal label printers (such as Zebra, Rollo, and DYMO).

Why don't I see the "Buy & print" button?

• Confirm you're on a Pro or Premier plan
• Make sure Shippo Print is installed and running on your computer
• Check that a default printer is selected in Settings > Printing

If Shippo Print isn't set up, you'll see the standard Buy only button instead.

Can different team members use different printers?

Yes. Printer defaults are set per workstation, not per account. Each computer can have its own default printer configured in Settings > Printing.

What happens if my printer goes offline during a print job?

Shippo will show a printer error message with a Retry button. You can fix the issue and retry, or download the documents as a PDF instead. Your label purchase is not affected — the label is already created regardless of whether it prints successfully.

How do I know if my printer is offline while purchasing labels?

Shippo will display a printer status indicator that reads “Printer offline” inside of a yellow tag at the top right corner of the Orders Page to help you spot a disconnected printer at a glance.

How do I change my default printer?

Go to Settings > Printing > Labels and select a different printer from the dropdown. Click Save to apply.

When to contact support

If you've tried the troubleshooting steps above and Shippo Print still isn't working, reach out to our support team. To help us resolve the issue faster, include:

• What happened: A brief description of the issue (e.g., "printer not appearing" or "label stuck on sending")
• Your browser and operating system: e.g., Chrome on macOS Ventura
• Your printer name and connection type: e.g., "Rollo X1038, connected via USB"
• Whether the printer works outside of Shippo: Can you print a test page from your computer's settings?

Contact support or reach out via live chat from your Shippo dashboard.