This article covers common reasons label printing may not work as expected and what to try on mobile devices. If you still can't print after trying the steps below, contact our Support team and share a few details so we can help troubleshoot.
In this article
Common causes
- The label size/template selected in Sortly doesn't match the labels loaded in your printer (or the printer's label settings).
- The label PDF is opening in an app or browser that doesn't support printing reliably. The print option may be missing or greyed out.
- Your device is set to open PDFs in a default app that isn't a dedicated PDF viewer.
- On iOS, the printer does not support AirPrint, which is required for mobile printing from iPhone or iPad.
- Your printer isn't available or discoverable from your mobile device.
Why this happens
When you create a label in Sortly, Sortly generates a PDF file. Your device then decides which app or browser opens that PDF, and printing is handled entirely by that app.
Some apps — including certain browser viewers and Google Docs — don't support printing PDFs reliably. This can prevent printing or cause the print option to appear greyed out.
If your label settings in Sortly don't match what your printer is configured to print (label size, layout/template, paper settings), printing can fail or produce incorrect output.
Android tips
If your label PDF is opening in Google Docs or Google Drive on Android, it may not print correctly. For best results, open label PDFs in a dedicated PDF viewer such as Adobe Acrobat Reader.
Change which app opens label PDFs
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1Open Android Settings
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2Tap Apps or Apps & Notifications
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3Tap Default apps or Choose default apps
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4Find the PDF default setting
Look for Opening links, Open by default, or Set as default. The exact wording varies by device.
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5Clear the current PDF default
Locate the app currently handling PDFs — commonly Google Drive or Google Docs — then tap Clear defaults.
Next time you open a label PDF
Android will prompt you to choose an app. Select a dedicated PDF viewer such as Adobe Acrobat Reader and tap Always to set it as the default going forward.
iOS tips
Printing from an iPhone or iPad requires a printer that supports AirPrint.
- If your printer supports AirPrint, you can print the PDF directly from a compatible viewer.
- If your printer does not support AirPrint, you will need to print the label from a computer instead.
Still having trouble?
If printing still isn't working, contact our Support team and share the details below so we can help troubleshoot:
- Screenshot of the Print Label screen in Sortly (Step 1)
- Screenshot of your printer settings / print dialog
- Printer brand and model
- Label brand, size, and template (for example, Avery 5200)
- The PDF export of the label you're trying to print