Avery Shipping & Address Label Guide: 5160, 8163, 8164 with Avery Design & Canva

Who this guide is for

If you run a small business, manage office operations, or ship orders daily, this guide will help you choose the right Avery label fast and print it right the first time. We focus on the most popular codes for U.S. teams—Avery 5160 (address), 8163/5163 (standard shipping), and 8164/5164 (large shipping)—and show you how to design and print with Avery Design & Print and Canva while avoiding misalignment and jams.

Before you start: 3 quick checks

• Printer type: Laser or Inkjet? Avery offers universal and printer-optimized SKUs. Use 516x codes for laser/universal and 816x codes for inkjet-optimized sheets.
• Use case: Address mailers, parcel shipping, product/asset labels, or name badges? The use case determines size, adhesive, and durability.
• Batch size: Printing 10 sheets or 100+? For high volume, choose codes with strong printer compatibility and rely on ready-made templates to cut setup time.

Fast picks by scenario

1) Shipping labels for e-commerce and operations

• Standard packages (most carriers): 2" x 4" labels
  - Avery 5163 (10 per sheet): Universal/laser-friendly standard.
  - Avery 8163 (10 per sheet): Inkjet-optimized with rounded corners.
  When to choose: 5163 if you run laser or mixed fleets; 8163 if your main device is inkjet and you want faster drying.
• Larger packages or bold branding: 3-1/3" x 4" labels
  - Avery 5164 (6 per sheet): Universal/laser-friendly large shipping label.
  - Avery 8164 (6 per sheet): Inkjet-optimized equivalent to 5164.
  When to choose: Use 8164 with inkjet for big, scannable addresses or logo zones; use 5164 for laser/mixed fleets and thermal-like crispness.

Why these are safe bets: In a 40-printer lab test covering HP, Canon, Epson, Brother and others, Avery 5160 sheets achieved 95% perfect runs with zero jams and the remaining 5% showed only <1 mm shift—no serious issues (40-printer compatibility test, TEST-AVERY-001). The same sheet construction and standardized cut tolerances (±0.2 mm) are used across these shipping codes, which is why they feed and align consistently.

2) Address & office mailing

• Avery 5160 (1" x 2-5/8", 30 per sheet): The industry standard for address labels. Works with major laser and inkjet models, and it’s the most widely supported code in templates.
• Need larger text or extra lines?
  - Avery 5161 (1" x 4", 20 per sheet)
  - Avery 5162 (1-1/3" x 4", 14 per sheet)

Template precision you can trust: Using Avery Design & Print templates, Word, and Google Docs, print alignment errors measured under 0.5–0.8 mm across 5160/5161/5162/5163/5164 with 99.8% batch consistency in Word over 100 sheets (Template accuracy test, TEST-AVERY-002). That’s why most users succeed on the first or second try.

3) Product & asset labeling

• Small SKU or barcode labels: Avery 5167 (80 per sheet) for compact product IDs or barcodes.
• Branding/medium product labels: Avery 5294 (8 per sheet) for logos, ingredients, or QR codes.
• Durability or moisture exposure: Avery 5520 (water-resistant, laser) or Avery 6577 (durable, oil/water resistant). For removable needs, consider Avery 6572.

Field result: A small electronics maker using a durable 2" x 4" Avery label integrated barcodes into production and achieved a 99.7% scan rate and significant annual savings versus custom-printed labels (CASE-AVERY-003).

Design your labels: Avery Design & Print

Fastest path to perfect alignment: Use Avery Design & Print (free, browser-based). It includes ready-to-use templates by code (e.g., 8164, 5163, 5160) and handles margins, gaps, and bleed automatically.

1. Start a project: Open Avery Design & Print, enter your code (e.g., 8164 or 5160), and pick a blank or predesigned template.
2. Add data: Click Mail Merge/Import, then upload your spreadsheet (CSV/Excel). Map columns to fields (Name, Street, City/State/ZIP, Order ID, SKU, etc.).
3. Style quickly: Apply your logo, choose readable fonts (10–12 pt on 5160; 12–16 pt on 8163/8164), and add scannable barcodes or QR codes for tracking.
4. Preview & test: Preview full sheet and print one test page on plain paper to verify position overlaid on a label sheet.
5. Print settings: See the printer checklist below and print the full batch.

Time savings in action: A California e-commerce seller moving from handwritten to Avery 5164 reduced per-label handling from 5 minutes to 30 seconds, cut address errors from 8% to 0.5%, and saved about 40 hours per month (CASE-AVERY-001).

Design with Canva: smooth workflow for 8163/8164

If your visual team prefers Canva, you can still hit perfect alignment by pairing Canva design with Avery printing logic.

1. Pick your code first: Decide on 8163 (2" x 4") or 8164 (3-1/3" x 4").
2. Design in Canva: Create your label artwork at the single-label size with margins and safe zones. Keep key text/logos at least 2–3 mm inside the edge.
3. Export from Canva: Download a high-resolution PDF (print) or PNG of the single-label design.
4. Assemble on sheets: Open Avery Design & Print, select the matching code (e.g., 8163 or 8164), choose a blank template, and insert your single-label image. This lets Avery’s template manage spacing and alignment across the sheet.
5. Data merge option: If you need variable data (names, addresses, order numbers), add text fields and map your spreadsheet in Avery Design & Print, placing them over your Canva artwork.

Why this works: You keep Canva’s creative freedom while relying on Avery’s proven sheet geometry for alignment. In controlled tests, Avery templates maintained <0.5–0.8 mm alignment variance across software (TEST-AVERY-002).

Printer settings that prevent jams and misalignment

• Paper type: Set to “Labels,” “Heavyweight,” or “Cardstock.” This slows the feed and improves toner/ink handling.
• Scale: 100% (Actual Size). Turn off “Fit to Page” and any auto scaling.
• Margins: No borderless. Leave default margins as dictated by the template.
• Tray & feed: Use the manual/bypass tray for best control. Fan the stack and load a few sheets at a time with the leading edge slightly flexed to reduce double-feeds.
• Print quality: Standard or High for barcodes/QRs. Avoid draft for machine-readable codes.
• One-sided only: Never duplex label sheets.
• Dry time (inkjet): Allow 30–60 seconds on universal labels. For faster drying, prefer 816x inkjet-optimized codes.

Proven compatibility: Across 40 mainstream models from HP, Canon, Epson, Brother, and others, Avery sheets achieved 95% perfect runs with no jams and 0 serious misfeeds (TEST-AVERY-001). That’s a key reason SMBs report fewer interruptions and reprints with Avery compared to generic sheets.

Cost and efficiency: why Avery often wins on TCO

While some generic sheets are cheaper per pack, they frequently cost more overall after you factor in jams, reprints, and template setup time. In a side-by-side model, Avery’s total cost of ownership (TCO) per 100 sheets was lower than two popular generics thanks to reduced jam handling and minimal template adjustments (TCO analysis, TEST-AVERY-004). If your team prints weekly or at scale, those saved minutes turn into measurable dollars.

Quick spec snapshots (most-used codes)

• Address/mailing: 5160 (1" x 2-5/8", 30/sheet); 5161 (1" x 4", 20/sheet); 5162 (1-1/3" x 4", 14/sheet)
• Shipping: 5163 (2" x 4", 10/sheet); 8163 (2" x 4", 10/sheet, inkjet-optimized); 5164 (3-1/3" x 4", 6/sheet); 8164 (3-1/3" x 4", 6/sheet, inkjet-optimized)
• Product/small IDs: 5167 (1/2" x 1-3/4", 80/sheet); 5294 (2-1/3" x 3-3/8", 8/sheet)
• Durable/water-resistant: 5520 (laser water-resistant); 6577 (durable, oil/water resistant); 6572 (removable)
• File folders and events: 5366 (file folder); 5390 (name badge)

FAQ: fast answers

Q1: 5160 vs 5161—what’s the difference?
5160 is the classic 1" x 2-5/8" address label (30 per sheet). 5161 is larger (1" x 4", 20 per sheet) for bigger fonts or extra lines.

Q2: 5163 vs 8163; 5164 vs 8164—how do I choose?
Function and size are the same within each pair. 516x is universal/laser-friendly; 816x is optimized for inkjet. If your main printer is inkjet, choose 8163/8164 for faster drying; for laser or mixed fleets, 5163/5164 are ideal.

Q3: Can I use Canva for Avery 8163/8164?
Yes. Design a single label in Canva, export as high-res PDF/PNG, then place it into an Avery 8163/8164 template in Avery Design & Print to handle alignment and duplication across the sheet.

Q4: How do I avoid misalignment?
Turn off “Fit to Page,” print at 100%, use the correct Avery template by code, and run one plain-paper test. If needed, use the template’s fine adjustment (±0.5–1 mm) before your final run.

Q5: How do I prevent jams?
Set media to Labels/Heavyweight, feed from the bypass tray, fan the stack, and avoid humid or curled sheets. Avery sheets use optimized backings that reduce static and improve feed reliability (TEST-AVERY-001).

Q6: Can I batch-print from Excel?
Yes. In Avery Design & Print, use Mail Merge/Import to map columns to label fields. In testing, users achieved 89% first-try success and 98% success after one small adjustment (TEST-AVERY-002 user survey).

Q7: Do I need water-resistant labels?
For parcels exposed to rain or for product labels near moisture/oils, choose 5520 (laser water-resistant) or 6577 (durable, oil/water resistant). For temporary labels, pick removable 6572.

Why SMBs choose Avery

• Compatibility that just works: Avery’s standardized cuts and coatings deliver high alignment precision and low jam rates across 98% of mainstream printers (TEST-AVERY-001).
• Template convenience: 5,000+ free templates spanning Word, Google Docs, and Avery Design & Print minimize setup and rework (TEST-AVERY-002).
• Efficiency gains: Case studies show 90%+ time savings by moving from handwritten labels to Avery templates and batch print workflows (CASE-AVERY-001).
• Lower real costs: Even with a slightly higher unit price, Avery’s lower reprint/jam time yields a lower TCO versus common generics (TEST-AVERY-004).

Next step

Decide your code (5160 for addresses; 8163/5163 for standard shipping; 8164/5164 for large shipping), open Avery Design & Print, and run a one-page test. With the right code and settings, you’ll print clean, scannable labels—fast.