WooCommerce doesn’t include a built-in shipping label generator, but you can create and print one in minutes using a plugin like Challan, which pulls the shipping address, phone number, and other order details directly from your WooCommerce orders and turns them into a ready-to-print PDF. If you’d rather not install anything, you can also generate labels manually through a carrier’s own site, such as USPS, UPS, FedEx, or DHL.
This guide covers both methods, the details your label needs, common printing problems, and the questions store owners ask most.
How to Print WooCommerce Shipping Labels Using Challan
Step 1: Install and activate Challan. In your WordPress admin, go to Plugins > Add New Plugin, search for “Challan,” then install and activate it. Once active, Challan can generate shipping labels, invoices, and packing slips automatically for new orders, and you can also generate documents for past orders.
Step 2: Open the Shipping Label settings. Go to Challan > Settings > Shipping Label. Here you can set the number of columns and rows per page, the paper size, and the font size for the printed label.
Step 3: Choose which order details appear on the label. In the Buyer Details Layout, select the fields you want and Challan fills them in automatically from the order. Common ones include:
- Shipping name: The customer’s first and last name from the shipping address.
- Shipping address: Street address, city, state, and postcode.
- Shipping phone: The customer’s contact number.
- Billing address: Used instead of shipping address when the two match.
Step 4: Add custom order meta if you need extra fields (Pro). Click Add Order Meta, name the field, then select what it should display, useful for adding shipping charges or a delivery note that isn’t in the default field list.
Step 5: Set the document language. Go to Document Language in the Challan settings and choose a language based on where your customer is shipping to. Challan supports a wide range of languages, including Arabic, for international orders.
Step 6: Add a barcode or QR code if you’re on Challan Pro. Scroll to the barcode and QR code settings and enable either one. This is a Pro-only feature in the current version of the plugin, the free version does not include it.
Step 7: Download and print. Go back to the Shipping Label tab and click Download. This opens a new tab where you can download the PDF and print it, or bulk-download labels for a date range from Challan’s Bulk Download screen.
What Details Go on a WooCommerce Shipping Label
A shipping label needs to give the carrier everything it needs to route and track the package without opening it. At minimum, include:
- Sender name and address: Your store’s return address.
- Recipient name and address: The customer’s shipping details.
- Tracking number or barcode: Used by the carrier to scan and track the shipment.
- Package weight: Required by most carriers for rate calculation.
- Delivery instructions: Anything the courier needs to know, such as “leave at door.”
A shipping label and a packing slip aren’t the same document. The packing slip lists what’s inside the box for the warehouse or the customer, the shipping label is what tells the carrier where the box needs to go.
How to Print Shipping Labels Through a Carrier
If you’d rather not use a plugin, you can generate a label directly through a carrier’s website:
- Sign in to your carrier account (USPS, UPS, FedEx, or DHL).
- Enter the shipment details: recipient address, package weight, and dimensions.
- Pay for postage and print the label directly from the carrier’s site.
| Carrier | Best for | Shipping area |
|---|---|---|
| USPS | Affordable domestic rates, P.O. Box delivery, Saturday delivery | Strong U.S. domestic network |
| UPS | Reliable tracking, business shipments | 200+ countries, strong for Canada and Mexico |
| FedEx | Fast delivery options, real-time tracking | Strong for express (same-day, overnight) |
| DHL | International shipping | Best for cross-border, less focused domestically |
Carrier pricing changes often and varies by weight, zone, and account type, check the official rate page for each carrier before budgeting, rather than relying on a fixed number here.
When to Automate vs. Print Labels Manually
Printing directly from a carrier’s site works fine if you’re shipping a handful of orders a day. It gets slower and more error-prone at volume: you’re retyping every address by hand, and some carrier sites cap you at printing a limited number of labels at a time.
An automated plugin like Challan pulls the same order data it already uses for invoices and packing slips, so there’s no retyping. You can also bulk-download every label in a date range in one action instead of generating them one by one. If you’re processing more than a few orders a day, that’s the point where automating starts saving real time.
WooCommerce Shipping Label Best Practices
- Label placement: Keep the label flat, avoid folding it over an edge, and follow any “This Side Up” instruction by placing it on top.
- Standard sizes: 4×6 inch, 6×3 inch, and 4×4 inch are the most common shipping label sizes.
- Special instructions: Note fragile, flammable, or orientation-specific handling directly on the package, most carriers ask about this separately as well.
- Protective covering: If you tape over the label or use a plastic sleeve, make sure the barcode and text are still fully readable.
Troubleshooting: WooCommerce Shipping Label Not Printing
- Update your plugins: Confirm WooCommerce and your shipping/label plugin are both on the latest version.
- Check printer settings: Verify the printer connection and paper size match your label settings.
- Confirm the shipping method: Make sure the correct shipping method and carrier are selected on the order.
- Clear your browser cache: Try a different browser if the print preview looks wrong.
- Check carrier funds or credits: If you’re printing through a carrier site, confirm you have enough balance to generate postage.
- Review the documentation: Check your plugin’s docs for the specific error message you’re seeing.
Best Plugin for WooCommerce Shipping Labels: Challan
Challan is a WooCommerce PDF invoice, packing slip, and shipping label plugin built by WebAppick. The free version already includes shipping label and delivery-address generation, along with invoices and packing slips from the same dashboard.
Key Features:
- Auto-generate shipping labels, invoices, and packing slips from one plugin
- Customizable Buyer Details Layout with automatic field population from order data
- Multi-language document support, including RTL languages like Arabic
- Bulk download by date range
- Barcode and QR code support, custom order meta fields, and premium templates on Challan Pro
Pricing starts from around $69 per year for a single site on Challan Pro, with 5-site and 10-site plans available, plus lifetime license options. Check the official pricing page before purchasing, as plans can change.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a shipping label?
A shipping label is the document attached to a package that tells the carrier where it’s going and how to track it. It typically includes the sender and recipient addresses, a tracking number or barcode, and the package weight. Carriers scan the label at each stage of transit to route and update the shipment.
What’s the difference between a packing slip and a shipping label?
A packing slip lists what’s inside the box, it’s for your warehouse team or the customer. A shipping label is what goes on the outside of the box for the carrier, showing the destination address and tracking information. Most stores need both documents for every order they fulfill.
Can I print WooCommerce shipping labels for free?
Yes. Challan’s free version includes shipping label and delivery-address printing along with invoices and packing slips. Barcode and QR code support, custom order meta, and premium templates require Challan Pro.
How do I print WooCommerce address labels specifically?
An address label is essentially a shipping label focused on the sender and recipient address rather than tracking details. In Challan, you can build this by selecting just the address-related fields, such as shipping name, shipping address, and phone, in the Buyer Details Layout.
Does Challan support return labels?
Challan doesn’t generate a carrier-issued return label with prepaid postage. You can create a standard outbound-style label using your own return address and the customer’s shipping details for manual returns, but for prepaid return postage you’ll need your carrier’s own return label tool.
Is a “dispatch label” the same as a shipping label?
Yes. “Dispatch label” is a term used mainly in UK and European stores for the same document North American sellers call a shipping label. The same Challan setup works for either term.
What size should I print my shipping label?
The most common sizes are 4×6 inch, 6×3 inch, and 4×4 inch. Check your printer type (thermal vs. standard inkjet/laser) and your carrier’s accepted format before printing in bulk.
Key Takeaways
- WooCommerce has no built-in shipping label tool, uses a plugin like Challan or generates labels directly through a carrier.
- Challan’s free version already includes shipping labels, invoices, and packing slips, barcode/QR codes and custom order meta require Pro.
- A shipping label and a packing slip serve different purposes: one routes the package, the other lists its contents.
- Manual carrier printing works fine at low volume but doesn’t scale well, automation saves the most time once you’re shipping in bulk.
- Standard label sizes are 4×6, 6×3, and 4×4 inch, and label placement matters as much as the information on it.
- Carrier pricing changes frequently, always confirming current rates on the carrier’s own site rather than relying on older figures.
Free version on WordPress.org. Every Pro licence includes a 30-day money-back guarantee.
