Avery Label Sizes Explained: Which Template Do You Need?

Label product numbers are confusing in a way that feels deliberate. There are dozens of them, several look almost identical, and the number on your box may not be the one any template list mentions. The good news: there are far fewer real layouts than there are product numbers.

The key insight: numbers ≠ layouts

Many different product numbers describe the exact same physical geometry. The 30-per-sheet address label layout is sold as 5160, 5260, 5660, 8160, 8460, 8660, 18160 and more. These differ in adhesive type, paper finish, whether they're optimised for laser or inkjet, and how many sheets are in the box. But the labels are in identical positions on the page.

So if a template list doesn't show your exact number, don't assume it won't work. Check the dimensions instead.

How to identify what you have in thirty seconds

Look at your box for two things: the label dimensions and how many per sheet. Those two facts identify the layout completely. Also check whether your sheets are US Letter (8.5 × 11 in) or A4 (210 × 297 mm). That's a genuine difference and templates are not interchangeable across it.

The layouts that cover most real use

2⅝" × 1". 30 per sheet (5160 family)

The default address label. Three columns, ten rows, US Letter. Good for return addresses, mailing labels, small product or inventory labels, filing. Its limitation is height: at one inch you fit about four comfortable lines of text, so a long international address gets cramped.

4" × 2". 10 per sheet (5163 family)

The shipping label. Two columns, five rows, US Letter. Enough room for a full postal address at a size a courier can read without squinting, plus a barcode. This is usually the right choice for parcels.

4" × 3⅓". 6 per sheet (5164 family)

Large shipping labels. Room for an address, a return address, a barcode, and handling notes on the same label.

1¾" × ½". 80 per sheet (5167 family)

Tiny. Four columns, twenty rows. Return addresses, price stickers, cable labels, small SKU tags. Only fits about two short lines. Don't try to put a full address on these.

63.5 × 38.1 mm. 21 per sheet (L7160 family)

The A4 address standard, used across the UK and Europe. Three columns, seven rows. Note this is a taller label than the US 30-per-sheet equivalent, so it handles multi-line addresses more comfortably.

99.1 × 38.1 mm. 14 per sheet (L7163 family)

The A4 shipping label. Two columns, seven rows. The European counterpart to the 5163.

Choosing, in one sentence each

• Mailing a newsletter or cards: 30-per-sheet address (5160 / L7160).
• Shipping parcels: 10-per-sheet (5163) or A4 14-per-sheet (L7163).
• Return address stickers: 80-per-sheet (5167).
• Product labels with a barcode: 10-per-sheet, or 30-per-sheet if your products are small.
• Anything a courier must read quickly: go bigger than you think.

Before you print a full batch

Whatever layout you pick, print one page on plain paper first and hold it against a real sheet against the light. And set print scaling to 100%. scaling is the number one cause of ruined label sheets.

Avery® is a registered trademark of CCL Label, Inc. This guide refers to published sheet dimensions for compatibility purposes; PDFeyes is not affiliated with or endorsed by Avery.