How to Print Address Labels from Excel (Easy Mail Merge Guide)

Got a spreadsheet full of names and addresses? Whether you're sending holiday cards, client letters, or event invites, Excel can make printing address labels quick—especially with Word's mail merge. Follow the steps below. If you need help with proper address formatting, see our envelope addressing guide for context.

Step 1: Prepare Your Excel Address List

Set up your spreadsheet with clear column headers:

• First Name
• Last Name
• Company (optional)
• Address Line 1 (street address)
• Address Line 2 (apt/suite — optional)
• City
• State
• ZIP Code

Step 2: Start a Mail Merge in Word

1. Open Word → Mailings tab (menus may differ slightly on Word for Mac, but the Mailings flow is the same)
2. Click Start Mail Merge → Labels
3. Choose your label brand & product number (Avery 5160 for US Letter; pick the A4 equivalent if you're on A4)

Step 3: Connect Your Excel Spreadsheet

1. Click Select Recipients → Use an Existing List
2. Choose your Excel file
3. Pick the correct worksheet if prompted
4. Save and close the Excel file before connecting it to Word (prevents read-only/mapping issues)

Step 4: Insert Address Fields

In the first label cell:

• Use Address Block for automatic formatting, or
• Insert fields manually (First Name, Last Name, Address, City, State, ZIP)

If using Address Block, enable the Company line (and confirm via Match Fields) to verify "Address Block" correctly maps to your column names (prevents missing city/state/ZIP). For domestic US labels, uncheck "Insert country/region" in Address Block. Note: Address Block defaults to US format; non-US data may need manual fields to avoid odd punctuation. For non-US addresses, insert fields manually; omit State/ZIP if not applicable and place postal code before city where required.

Click Update Labels to apply to all.

«First Name» «Last Name»
«Company»
«Address Line 1»
«Address Line 2»
«City», «State» «ZIP Code»

Step 5: Preview and Print

1. Click Preview Results to check your labels
2. Load label sheets into your printer
3. Click Finish & Merge → Print Documents

Last updated: Aug 26, 2025