UPS SurePost label missing postal barcode — thermal driver “Image/Graphics” mode fix

Joe B.

Expert ★★★★★ 27,853 satisfied customers

Specialities: Thermal label printers (Zebra/ZD/ZP/GK), UPS/USPS labels, ShipStation/WorldShip, Windows & Mac print drivers

SurePost postal barcode missing/blank — IMpb not printing, Maxicode fine, fix with thermal driver raster mode, DPI, darkness & media settings

Technician

Hey! We’ll get your UPS SurePost label printing with a clear USPS IMpb postal barcode. A few quick scoping questions: which printer model (Zebra ZP450/ZD420/ZD421/GK420d/Rollo)? Are labels coming from UPS.com, ShipStation, or WorldShip? And does the label show text/logo/Maxicode but the postal barcode area is blank or faint?

Customer

Printer is a Zebra ZD421 (203 dpi). Labels are from UPS.com and ShipStation. The big Maxicode and address print fine, but the postal barcode block is missing — just a white rectangle. Reprinting doesn’t help.

Technician

Got it. That symptom points to the Windows/Mac thermal driver rendering in “Vector/Printer fonts” mode. Many portals send the postal barcode as a raster image inside the PDF. When the driver tries to substitute with device fonts or ZPL/EPL barcodes, the IMpb gets dropped. We’ll switch the driver to Image/Graphics (raster) mode, set correct label size 4×6, 203 dpi, and tune darkness/speed so scanners can read it.

Customer

Where exactly is that setting? I only see paper size and darkness in Printer Properties.

Technician

Step 1 — Force raster “Image/Graphics” mode in the driver
Windows: Control Panel → Devices and Printers → your Zebra → Printer properties → Advanced → Printing Defaults → Graphics (or Options). Set:
• Print Mode: Image/Graphics (Raster).
• TrueType fonts: Download as Bitmap / Print TrueType as Graphics.
• Dithering: None; Resolution 203 dpi (or 300 dpi if your model).
• Uncheck Use printer fonts and Allow passthrough (ZPL/EPL).
Mac: System Settings → Printers → Options & Supplies → Driver. Choose 203/300 dpi, disable device fonts, set Graphics mode.

Customer

Done. What about the label size? Sometimes it shrinks and the barcode looks soft.

Technician

Step 2 — Lock label size & DPI
• Stock/Media: 4.00″ × 6.00″ (101.6 × 152.4 mm).
• DPI: Match printer (203/300). Do not scale to fit; set Actual size in the app.
• Orientation: Portrait, 0°. Disable any “fit to page” that rasterizes incorrectly.
If labels come from a browser, click the PDF, choose Open in system viewer and print from Adobe Reader with Actual size.

Customer

The barcode shows but is light. UPS Store couldn’t scan it. Any darkness/speed tips?

Technician

Step 3 — Tune for scannability
• Darkness/Heat: 15–20 (Zebra scale) — just enough to get solid bars without bleed.
• Speed: 3–5 ips. Slower improves density and edges for the IMpb.
• Media Type: Direct Thermal; Media Handling: Gap/Notch with Calibrate.
• Run a Media Calibration and then a Configuration label test to confirm settings.
Related keywords: IMpb readability, scanner grade, thermal label quality, barcode density.

Customer

We also use WorldShip on one PC. Could WorldShip/ZPL settings cause the postal barcode to vanish?

Technician

Yes. In WorldShip: set Label Printer to your Zebra driver (not Generic/Text), enable Print as Image in the app’s printing preferences, and ensure the Label Stock is 4×6. If you print ZPL directly, disable “Use device fonts” and keep the driver in raster so bitmap barcodes from PDFs don’t get dropped. In ShipStation: use PDF label format (not ZPL) and Document Options → Use system dialog.

Customer

We print from Chrome. Sometimes the browser preview looks crisp, sometimes not. Any browser tips?

Technician

Use the system print dialog so the Zebra driver controls rasterization:
• Chrome/Edge: press Ctrl+Shift+P (Print using system dialog). Choose the Zebra printer → Printing Preferences → confirm Image/Graphics mode and Actual size.
• Adobe Reader: check Advanced → Print as Image if you still see dropouts.
• Disable browser scaling, headers/footers, and any “fit to page.”

Customer

After switching to Image mode and slowing to 4 ips, the IMpb prints dark and scans. Anything else to lock this in for the team?

Technician

Final checks:
• Save settings in both Printing Preferences and Printing Defaults so all apps inherit them.
• In Zebra Setup Utilities, push the same profile (DPI, speed, darkness, media) to other PCs.
• Keep one label format (PDF), 4×6 stock, and raster graphics driver mode across the fleet to avoid the postal barcode disappearing again.

Customer

Perfect — SurePost labels now print with a bold IMpb and scan first try. Appreciate the help!

Technician

Summary: If a UPS SurePost label is missing the USPS postal barcode (IMpb), switch the thermal driver to Image/Graphics (raster), print TrueType as graphics, match 4×6 at 203/300 dpi, and tune darkness/speed. Print via the system dialog or Adobe “Print as Image.” Need a hand setting this on multiple PCs? Open the chat.

Quick answer: the accepted fix

Accepted fix when a UPS SurePost label is missing the postal barcode: set the Zebra/thermal driver to Image/Graphics (raster) mode, print TrueType as graphics, use 4×6 at the printer’s DPI, and adjust darkness/speed. Print from the system dialog or Adobe with Print as Image to preserve the IMpb.

FAQ

Step-by-step (Windows)

1. Printer properties → Advanced → Printing Defaults → set Image/Graphics mode; TrueType as Graphics.
2. Stock 4×6, native DPI; disable scaling; use system print dialog.
3. Set Darkness 15–20 and Speed 3–5 ips; Media: Direct Thermal; Calibrate.
4. In WorldShip/ShipStation choose PDF output and Print as Image if needed.

Note for macOS

1. Printers & Scanners → Options & Supplies → Driver: choose correct model/DPI; enable Graphics mode.
2. Print from Preview/Adobe at Actual size; avoid browser scaling.

Sources

• Zebra — Driver graphics/bitmap and darkness settings
• ShipStation — Label format & PDF printing
• UPS WorldShip — Printing labels

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