Which labels fit a Rollo printer (and which don't)

A Rollo printer takes direct thermal paper labels between 1.57 and 4.1 inches wide, on a roll or in a fanfold stack, with a gap or perforation between labels. That rule is the same for the wired Rollo USB (model X1038) and the Rollo Wireless (model X1040), and Rollo says any brand of direct thermal label in a supported size should work. Thermal transfer stock, clear film, letter-size sheets and labels narrower than 1.57 inches are the ones that cause trouble.

Quick answer

• Works: direct thermal paper labels, 1.57 to 4.1 in wide, roll or fanfold, with a gap or perforation between labels. 4 × 6 is the standard shipping size.
• Does not work: thermal transfer labels that need a ribbon, clear or plastic film labels, inkjet and laser sheets, anything narrower than 1.57 in or wider than 4.1 in.
• After every label change: run automatic label identification (hold the top button until one beep) so the printer can measure the new label.

The four things a Rollo label has to get right

1. Direct thermal material

Both Rollo models print with heat alone. There is no ink, toner or ribbon, so the label itself has to be heat-sensitive. That is what direct thermal labels are: paper with a coating that darkens under the print head.

Thermal transfer labels look almost identical but are made to be printed through a ribbon. Rollo has no ribbon, and its support pages state plainly that thermal transfer labels will not print. If a product page offers both a direct thermal and a thermal transfer version of the same size, choose direct thermal.

2. Width between 1.57 and 4.1 inches

Rollo's product pages for both the X1038 and the X1040 give the same supported label width: 1.57 to 4.1 inches (4 to 10.4 cm). Rollo does not publish a label length range on those pages, so width is the number to check first.

That range rules out very narrow stock, such as 1-inch-wide barcode labels, and anything wider than a standard 4-inch shipping label.

3. A gap or perforation between labels

The printer finds where one label ends and the next begins by sensing the space between them. Rollo's label guidance says labels need a gap or a perforation, and it warns against three kinds of stock:

• Continuous stock with no gap or perforation. The printer has nothing to align to.
• Labels separated by black marks or punched holes. Rollo says some batches work, but feeding can be unreliable, so it advises avoiding them.
• Clear or plastic film labels. The sensor cannot tell where a transparent label ends.

Standard die-cut paper labels on a liner, with a visible gap between each one, are the safe choice.

4. Roll or fanfold, fed from the back

Rollo feeds labels through a slot at the back, which is why it handles both formats:

• Fanfold labels sit in a stack behind the printer and feed straight in. No holder is needed.
• Rolls need to turn freely. Rollo's guidance is to place the roll 2 to 3 inches behind the printer or use a roll holder.

Because the supply sits outside the printer, roll diameter is limited by your holder and desk space, not by the printer's case. Rollo's pages do not specify a core size, so if you use a holder, match the roll's core and outer diameter to that holder.

Compatibility table

Sizes people actually use in a Rollo

All of the sizes below are inside the 1.57 to 4.1 inch width range. Widths are listed first.

For shipping, the choice is mostly between a fanfold stack and a roll. A 4 × 6 fanfold stack needs no holder and suits a printer that stays in one place. A 4 × 6 roll on a 1-inch core is compact but needs a holder or room to spin. Our 4 × 6 labels page shows both formats.

For smaller work, 2.25 × 1.25 roll labels and 2 × 1 roll labels are the two common barcode sizes. Both are listed in our catalog as fitting the Rollo USB and Wireless. Several of these products come in direct thermal and thermal transfer versions, so select the direct thermal option before adding to cart.

You can browse everything listed for these printers on the Rollo compatible labels page. Use the size filter and keep to widths from 1.57 to 4.1 inches.

What does not work, and why

Thermal transfer-only stock. It will feed, and it will come out blank or nearly blank, because nothing transfers pigment to it. If you also run a ribbon printer, keep the two supplies clearly separated. Our thermal transfer labels page explains where that material belongs.

Sheets. Letter-size label sheets are made for inkjet and laser printers. They are not heat-sensitive and are more than twice the width a Rollo accepts.

Rolls built around another printer's sensing system. DYMO LabelWriter rolls are the usual example. DYMO's printers locate each label by punched holes, which is the kind of separation Rollo advises against, and many LabelWriter sizes, such as the 1-1/8 inch wide address label, are narrower than Rollo's 1.57 inch minimum.

Clear labels. Even when the material is direct thermal, a transparent label gives the sensor nothing to see.

If you are matching labels for a different printer as well, the printer compatibility help page lists the checks to run for any brand.

Automatic label identification: do this every time you change labels

Rollo does not ask you to enter a label size on the printer. It measures the label instead.

1. Load the labels printable side up through the back slot and slide the guides against the edges.
2. Press and hold the top round button until you hear one beep, then let go.
3. The printer moves the labels back and forth to measure the gap and the label, then stops at the tear-off point with a green light.

Rollo's user guide says to repeat this whenever you change labels. For the USB model, Rollo's skipping article adds one step: unplug the USB cable first so no print job arrives during the measurement.

Troubleshooting

Skipping labels or feeding continuously

Rollo names two causes. The most common is that the printer has not learned the new label, which usually shows up right after you switch size, type or manufacturer. Re-run automatic label identification as described above.

The second cause is the computer sending the wrong page size. Set the paper size in the printer preferences to match the label, such as 4 × 6 in (100 × 150 mm), and check the page setup in the application you print from, because some programs override the driver.

If skipping continues, look at the labels themselves. Stock with no gap, with black marks, or with clear material is the kind Rollo says the printer cannot align reliably.

Misaligned or shrunken print

Print that sits small in the middle of the label with wide borders usually means the file was laid out for a letter page and scaled down. Rollo's advice is to make the content fill the full label and to set the label size to 4 × 6 at the source. Also make sure the guides are snug against the label edges, then run label identification again.

Faded, light or blank print

• Blank labels: Rollo's first check is orientation. The side you peel off should face up as it leaves the printer. The second check is whether the labels are direct thermal at all.
• Light print: Rollo notes that darkness varies with label quality and that a new batch which suddenly prints faint may be the cause, so try a different roll.
• Settings: on the X1038, raise Density a little or lower Speed in the printer preferences. Rollo cautions that too much density creates dark lines and can make labels stick to the print head. On the X1040, Darkness and Speed are under Printing Defaults in the printer's settings portal, reached through the Rollo app.
• Dirty print head: the user guide's cleaning routine is to power off, unplug, let the head cool, wipe it with an alcohol swab, and let it dry before printing again.
• Self-test: holding the top button until two beeps prints a test page, which tells you whether the problem is the printer or the file.

FAQ

Does a Rollo printer need Rollo-brand labels?

No. Rollo's support pages say any brand of direct thermal label in a supported size should work. Rollo recommends its own labels, but the printer does not require them.

What label widths does a Rollo printer support?

1.57 to 4.1 inches (4 to 10.4 cm), according to Rollo's product pages for both the USB model X1038 and the Wireless model X1040.

Can I use thermal transfer labels in a Rollo?

No. Rollo is direct thermal only and has no ribbon, so thermal transfer labels will not print.

Are fanfold or roll labels better for a Rollo?

Both work. Fanfold feeds from a stack with no holder. Rolls need a holder or 2 to 3 inches of space behind the printer so they can turn freely.

Why does my Rollo skip a label after I change rolls?

The printer is still using measurements from the previous label. Hold the top button until one beep to run automatic label identification, then check that the paper size in your driver matches the new label.

All label guides