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Set up your QR label printer

Learn how to configure your Zebra printer to print QR labels for your items.

Written by Samantha Schurr

This article outlines how to set up a Zebra printer to print QR labels from the Rheaply platform. Printers can be a pain, so feel free to email help@rheaply.com if you need help.

This article is helpful if:

  • You are listing multiple items on the platform

  • You already have or plan to catalog multiple items.

Who can do this?

  • Circulate roles: Admins, Listing managers

  • Inventory roles: Global admins, Admins, Editors, Creators, Viewers

Where is it done?

Inventory root.rheaply.com/inventory

Step 1: Set up printer hardware

Requirement: An internet connection is required to configure a Zebra printer. You may either use a wireless driver or an Ethernet cable.

If unboxing your printer for the first time, follow the setup instructions in the ZD421 Series User Guide, starting on page 174.

To install the Wireless Connectivity Module, starting pn page 63: ZD421 Series User Guide.

Step 2: Print a Configuration Report

  1. Before connecting your printer to any device, complete the Quick Start Guide for ZD421 series printers

  2. This first test print is a Configuration Report and helps ensure your printer is working and printing well

    1. If your prints appear off or lacking, there may have been an error during hardware installation. If the problem persists, contact Zebra support.

    2. If the configuration reports aren’t printing at all, troubleshooting help can be found on page 311 of the ZD421 Series User Guide

  3. Alternative instructions for how to test printing with a Configuration Report can also be found on page 178 of the ZD421 Series User Guide

Tip: A Configuration Report is different from printer calibration. Always calibrate your printer automatically with a SmartCal Media Calibration (page 177, User guide) during the following situations:

  • Using the printer with a new device

  • Loading a new label size

Step 3: Connect your printer to your device

MacOS (Preferred CUPS Method) MacOS has built-in drivers for most Zebra models, meaning no external software downloads are necessary.

  1. Connect Hardware: Plug the printer into your Mac via USB. Ensure the status light turns solid green. (Note: Since the ZD421 uses USB-B and most modern MacBooks use USB-C, you will likely need a USB-C to USB-A adapter or a direct USB-C to USB-B cable).

  2. Add the Printer: Click the Apple Menu > System Settings (or System Preferences) > Printers & Scanners.

  3. Select Device: Click Add Printer, Scanner, or Fax... (or the + icon) and select the Zebra ZD421 from the list.

  4. Select Software: Under the Use dropdown menu, do not leave it on "Generic PostScript." Instead, choose Select Software..., type "Zebra" in the search bar, select Zebra ZPL Label Printer, and click Add.

Tip: Using a USB cable to connect your printer to a device directly has proven to be the most reliable solution.

Windows, Android, or iPhone/iPad devices

Using Bluetooth or Wireless Networks:

  • Download the Zebra Setup Utilities (ZSU) on Windows, Android, or iPhone/iPad devices

  • Download page for ZSU

Tip: Double-check the Device Compatibility and System Requirements sections to ensure the device you’re using is listed as one of the ones Zebra has tested. If it’s not, printing is not guaranteed to work.

Using an Interface Cable

  • If you opt for connecting your printer to your device using a cable (i.e. USB), starting on page 181, the ZD421 Series User guide has instructions on how to connect your printer to a Windows computer using the Zebra Setup Utilities

ChromeOS

Using Bluetooth or Wireless Networks:

  • It is possible to connect a ZD421 printer to a Chromebook using the printer’s Bluetooth button and laptop’s Bluetooth menu

    • Reference this Zebra article for help - you will need to connect the ZD421 to a device via USB and use the Zebra Setup Utilities wizard to configure bluetooth

  • The Zebra Setup Utilities does not have a version for Chrome OS

Using an Interface Cable:

Tip: You must download a PPD file (see help article) from Zebra to your Chromebook in order to print on ChromeOS.

Step 4: Customize the paper size in printer settings

To customize your printer settings to print QR labels, see below. The ideal size would be printing on a 1x1 inch label and setting up your print settings to be 0.9” x 0.9”.

MacOS (Preferred CUPS Method)

Standard Mac settings often struggle with custom label sizes like 1x1. You need to access the CUPS web interface to prevent macOS from scaling your design up to a standard 4x6 size.

  1. Enable CUPS: Open Terminal (Command + Space, type "Terminal"). Type cupsctl WebInterface=yes and hit Enter.

  2. Update Default Size: Open your browser and type http://localhost:631/printers/. Click your Zebra ZD421, then select Set Default Options from the Administration dropdown. Change the Media Size to Custom and enter 0.9 for width and 0.9 for height. Ensure Media Tracking is set to Web Sensing so the printer looks for the gap between labels. Click Set Default Options.

  3. Create Custom Size in macOS: Open any document (or a blank PDF) and press Command + P to open the Print dialog. Under the Paper Size dropdown menu, select Manage Custom Sizes... Click the plus (+) button, rename "Untitled" to Zebra 1x1, set Width to 0.9” and Height to 0.9”, and set Non-Printable Area (Margins) to 0 for all sides. Click OK.

Windows PC

Follow the steps in section 5 to set up your page to the right size for printing labels. Note, the instructions on the site reference a different printer model. This exact process has not yet been tested by Rheaply.

  1. Select Start menu > Control Panel

  2. Under Hardware and Sound, select View devices and printers

  3. Under Printers, right-click your printer and select Printer preferences

  4. In the Page Setup submenu, enter your label size in inches

  5. Select Ok

  6. Close the Devices and Printers window.

Step 5: Print

It’s printing time 🤞

  1. Navigate to root.rheaply.com and log in

  2. Find what you want to print:

    1. To print a label for a single item, navigate to the item you want to label, then click the Print label button at the top right.

    2. To print labels for multiple items, navigate to the product you want to label, then use the checkboxes to select which items you want to label. Then, from the bulk actions menu at the top of the table, choose Print label from the list.

  3. Your system’s print dialog will open, then based on your device follow the next steps below…

MacOS

Select the custom 1x1” label size you previously created, then print.

Windows PC

Confirm the page setup reflects the correct size, 1x1”, then print.

ChromeOS

You must toggle the configuration from the print preview in order to print a 1x1” label, then print.

Adjust the settings to the following:

  • Layout: Portrait

  • Paper size: oe w144h72

  • Pages per sheet: 1

  • Margins: Custom (Left 0" - Top .5" - Right 0" - Bottom .5")

  • Quality: 300dpi

  • Scale: Default

Android, iPhone/iPad

Printing from mobile devices has not been tested successfully to date.

Known Issues

  • Zebra printers are not directly compatible with Chromebooks

  • Cannot create custom label sizes with printer settings on Android tablets

  • Formatting issue with third-party app, MobiPrint, on Galaxy Tab S7 tablets, resulting in incorrect pagination

  • Microsoft Windows update causes issues with certain printers in the ZD421 series

  • Bulk printing from Rheaply does not work on Safari.

  • Note that the printer may not operate correctly if it’s drivers aren’t updated routinely

  • If the printer is skipping lines in the QR codes, some reasons may be:

  • Make sure the printer is printing in the ZPL programming language

Tip: A way to confirm if the device you’re using will be able to bulk print 1x1” labels is if you can either (A) configure the paper size on the device before printing, or (B) toggle paper size settings so that the aspect ratio and pagination appear correctly on your device’s print preview dialog.

Questions? Reach out to help@rheaply.com 9 am - 6 pm Central, 7 am - 4 pm Pacific Time

Related Articles
Manage items in your inventory
QR label placement guide
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