Support

Troubleshooting Printer Issues

Labels are not printing

Make sure the user who is printing is connected to a packing station. You can find the connected packing station in Picqer at the top right under the user’s name.
Check whether the packing station is configured correctly. In Picqer, printers are linked to packing stations. For more information, see Printers and Packing Stations
Make sure the PrintNode program is running on the computer to which your printer is connected and that you are logged in there with the email address linked to Picqer. You can find the email address at the bottom of the printer settings.
- Are you getting an error message when logging into PrintNode? Persistent timeout messages during login can be caused by the default HTTP library being used. PrintNode uses the HTTP library 'Curl' by default. If you keep receiving timeout messages during login, it may help to change the HTTP library to 'Requests'. You can do this by going to 'Network settings' on the PrintNode login screen.
Check whether you can print labels through your browser. In Picqer, navigate to Shipments, open any label using the Label button, and print it on the Zebra printer. If this does not work, the issue lies in the connection between your computer and the printer and is unrelated to Picqer.
Update PrintNode to the latest version. You can find the latest version for Mac and Windows on the PrintNode website.
PrintNode works with an Engine. The Engine is the core component for sending print jobs. Sometimes it can help to change the Engine. You can do this by going to the "Printers" tab in PrintNode and selecting a different Engine.
Check your antivirus and security software. Some programs such as "Datto EDR agent" or "Endpoint Protection Service" may block PrintNode. Temporarily disable this software or add PrintNode to the whitelist and try printing again.

Labels are printing blank

When using a MacBook, it is necessary to set the dimensions of your labels in PrintNode. Open PrintNode on your computer and go to "Printers". Check if the "Page Width" and "Page Height" are set (in inches).

Labels are printing twice

If more than one user is logged into the computer, PrintNode might be running for each user, causing labels to print twice. Ensure that only one user is logged in.

Labels are skewed, printing across 2 labels, or blank labels follow each print

Zebra printers sometimes do not correctly recognize the size of your label or where one label ends and the next begins. This can result in skewed prints on the labels, printing across multiple labels, or blank labels following printed labels. In this case, your printer needs to be calibrated. Learn how to calibrate the Zebra printer here: Calibrating the Zebra Printer (ZD420d/ZD421d)

Label quality is poor

Enable ZPL Support

If you have a Zebra printer, it supports ZPL, a special language for controlling the printer. Make sure to enable ZPL support in Picqer under Settings > Printers. Click 'Edit' next to the correct printer and set ZPL support to 'Yes'.

Check Speed and Density (Windows)

Open Control Panel and select View Devices and Printers. Right-click on the Zebra printer and choose Printing Preferences. Set the following:

Speed: 2
Density: 5

Label size is incorrect

Sometimes labels are not printed correctly, such as being too small or rotated. Check the following items.

Windows: Set Label Size

Open Control Panel and select Devices and Printers. Right-click on the Zebra printer and choose Printing Preferences. Copy the following settings:

Zebra printer printing preferences

Windows: PrintNode Installed as a Service

PrintNode may have been installed incorrectly. During installation, you are asked to install PrintNode as a Windows Service with a checkbox. Do not check this box.

Navigate to http://localhost:8888. If you see a site with the PrintNode version in the top right corner, then PrintNode was installed as a service and needs to be reinstalled without checking the box.

Mac: Set Label Size

The label size needs to be set in PrintNode. Start PrintNode or open it from the top bar next to your clock (round icon). Go to the Printers tab. For the correct printer, set the following:

Page width (inch): 4.02
Page height (inch): 5.98