Zebra ZT411 skips labels after calibration: how to fix it

CauseWith Label Type set to Continuous, the printer ignores the gaps and takes the label length from your label format. With Mark, it looks for black marks instead of gaps.

Fix

1. On the home screen, touch Menu and open Print › Print Quality › Label Type.
2. Choose Gap/Notch for labels with a gap, notch or hole, Mark for black-mark media and Continuous only for media without gaps.
3. Calibrate (Fix 4).
4. Set the same media type in your label software and driver. Settings sent with a job can override the printer.

CauseThe ZT411 has a transmissive sensor for most media and a reflective sensor, typically used for black-mark media. With the wrong one selected, the printer cannot see your gaps reliably.

Fix

1. Open Print › Sensors › Sensor Type.
2. Select Transmissive for gap, notch or hole labels, or Reflective for black-mark media.
3. Calibrate again (Fix 4).

CauseThe sensor reads one spot across the media width. If no gap, notch or hole passes it, the printer cannot find the top of the label.

Fix

1. Open the media door and rotate the printhead-open lever upward. The printhead may be hot.
2. Remove the ribbon so you can see the media path.
3. Pull the labels until a gap, notch or hole is at the sensor, so the sensor's green light shines through it.
4. If the light hits a label, slide the sensor sideways with the media sensor adjustment. Line it up directly with a notch or hole. The range is about 1.5 to 71 mm (0.06 to 2.81 in.) from the inner edge of the media.
5. Reload the ribbon, lock the printhead, close the door and calibrate (Fix 4).

Other light patterns are covered in ZT411 red light or Paused.

CauseZebra recommends calibrating after changing the ribbon or the media size or type, and whenever labels skip.

Fix

1. Linerless cutter only: first remove any media sticking out of the cutter, or calibration fails.
2. Touch Menu, open Print › Sensors › Manual Calibration and touch Start Calibration.
3. Follow each prompt exactly and touch Next after every step. When asked, peel labels off and place the bare liner under the sensor. Thermal transfer has 16 steps, direct thermal 14.
4. To stop, press and hold CANCEL.
5. When it finishes, press PAUSE to print again.

CauseThe ZT411 can calibrate itself at switch-on or when you close the printhead. Unless one of these actions is set to CALIBRATE or SHORT CAL, the sensor thresholds are not updated for new labels.

Fix

1. Open System › Settings › Head Close Action and System › Settings › Power Up Action.
2. Choose CALIBRATE (adjusts sensor levels and thresholds and measures the label length) or SHORT CAL (sets thresholds without changing sensor gain and measures the label length). The other options are FEED, LENGTH and NO MOTION.
3. If you change labels often, set Head Close Action to CALIBRATE so the printer recalibrates each time you reload.

CauseZebra lists a wrong label format as a cause of skipped labels. The label size in your format must match the labels loaded.

Fix

1. In the Print menu, check Label Length: the length calibration found, in dots (about 8 per mm at 203 dpi, 12 at 300 dpi, 24 at 600 dpi). It is editable only for continuous media.
2. If it is wrong, calibrate again. If it is right, correct the label size in your software or driver.
3. If labels stop a few millimetres off at the tear bar, adjust Tear Line Offset (−120 to +120 dots; negative moves media in, positive moves it out). Zebra's documents place it under Print › Label Position or Print › Image Adjust.

CauseThe printer needs consistent gaps or notches of 2 to 4 mm. Media outside the specifications, or threaded the wrong way, causes skipping and drift.

Fix

1. Check that the gaps are 2 to 4 mm and the same along the roll.
2. Check the label length: at least 12.7 mm (25.4 mm with a cutter) and at most 991 mm at 203 or 300 dpi, 508 mm at 600 dpi.
3. Reload the media as shown in the ZT411 setup guide, with the media guide just touching the edge.
4. If the print still drifts, clean the platen roller and check the printhead pressure, as described in faded print on the ZT411.