Turn full-page shipping label PDFs into ready-to-print 4×6 or 4×4 labels for your thermal printer. The tool finds the label on each page, rotates it to fit, and drops the instructions and receipt parts. Load several files at once and download one PDF with every label.
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Creates a demo Letter page with a label on top and instructions below, so you can see how auto-detect works.
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Drag the box or its handles to adjust, or drag on the page to draw a new area. Changes apply to this page only.
Label preview
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How to use the Shipping Label Cropper
Open your label PDFs by dropping them on the box or clicking to choose. Several files at once are fine.
Pick the label size your printer uses, usually 4 × 6 in, and leave Label area on Auto-detect.
Check each page in the preview. Drag the box or its corners if a label needs adjusting, untick pages you don't need, or use a preset such as Top half.
Press Crop labels & download PDF to get one label per page, or Print labels to send them straight to your printer.
Print at 100% (Actual size) with the paper size set to your label size so the barcode scans correctly.
Common label sizes and where the label sits
Most carriers and marketplaces let you print a label on plain Letter (8.5 × 11 in) or A4 paper, with the label on one part of the page and instructions or a receipt on the rest. A thermal printer needs just the label on its own page. Here is what the tool's sizes mean:
Output size
Points (1/72 in)
Typical use
4 × 6 in
288 × 432
Standard thermal shipping label for most parcel carriers and marketplaces
100 × 150 mm
283 × 425
Metric equivalent of 4 × 6 used by many label rolls and printers
4 × 4 in
288 × 288
Square labels, smaller package labels and some international formats
6 × 4 in
432 × 288
4 × 6 stock fed sideways, for printers that expect landscape pages
Common page layouts the presets cover: label in the top half with instructions below, label in the top-left quarter with a receipt beside or under it, and two labels side by side (crop the left half, then add the right half with Add another label from this page).
How auto-detect finds the label
Whole content: if everything printed on the page already fits within about 4.7 × 6.7 inches, that content is the label.
Label border: otherwise it looks for long straight lines (over 2 inches) that join into a rectangle at least 2.4 inches on each side. Most shipping labels have a thick frame and dividing lines, while dashed fold lines and text blocks do not.
Content blocks: as a fallback the page is split into blocks separated by white space, and the densest block with label-like proportions wins (barcodes are very dense).
The crop is padded by about 0.05 in so borders are not cut, and pages with nothing printed on them are left out. Always glance at the thumbnails before printing.
Tips for clean thermal prints
Print at 100% / Actual size. "Fit to page" in the print dialog can shrink the label again and make barcodes harder to scan.
Keep the margin at 0.05–0.1 in. Many thermal printers cannot print right to the edge of the label.
If the label comes out upside down or sideways, change Rotation rather than turning the roll.
Use Shrink only when your labels are already the right size and you don't want small labels enlarged.
Frequently asked questions
How do I convert an 8.5 x 11 shipping label to 4 x 6?
Open the PDF here and keep Label size on 4 × 6 in. The tool finds the label part of the Letter page, rotates it if needed and scales it to fill a 4 × 6 inch page. Download the PDF and print it on your thermal printer at 100% scale.
Will cropping make the barcode unreadable?
No. The label is copied as vector content, not as a screenshot, so barcodes, text and lines stay crisp at any size. Most carrier labels are already designed at about 4 × 6 inches, so Fit to label usually prints them at or near 100%.
What if auto-detect picks the wrong area?
Drag the crop box or its handles on the page preview, or draw a new box by dragging on the page. You can also choose a preset like Top half or Top-left quarter, which then trims the white space inside that area. Find label again restores the automatic result.
Can I crop several labels at once?
Yes. Drop in several PDFs or a PDF with many pages. Every included page becomes one label page in the downloaded PDF. If one page holds two labels, select it and press Add another label from this page, then move the new box onto the second label.
Why is my label rotated?
With Rotation on Auto, a label that is wider than tall is turned 90° so it fills a portrait 4 × 6 label, which is how most thermal printers feed. Choose None, 90° clockwise or 90° counter-clockwise if your printer or label stock needs a different direction.
What printer settings should I use?
Set the paper or stock size to 4 × 6 in (or the size you chose), scale to 100% or Actual size, and turn off fit to page. Use the printer's own driver settings for darkness and speed. If the label prints too small or offset, check that the driver's paper size matches.
Are my shipping labels uploaded?
No. The PDFs are opened, cropped and saved entirely in your browser, so addresses and tracking numbers never leave your computer.
Are all the tools on FreeToolCabin tested for quality and accuracy?
Yes! Every tool on our site undergoes automated Q/A testing in real browser environments to ensure high precision, correct output, and zero errors. If you happen to spot a bug or have a suggestion, please contact us at [email protected] and our team will review it right away.