Printing Problems

How to Fix Word Mail Merge Printing Only One Page of Labels

Steve K Oct 7, 2026 868 views

Question details

The user is attempting to print a mail merge for labels using an Excel data source, but only the first page of the labels is being printed despite all records being imported.

Word mail merge labels with Excel fields and Update Labels

Product: Word Document
Device & OS: not provided
Scenario: Generating and printing multiple pages of mailing labels using the Mail Merge feature connected to an Excel address list.
Observed behavior: The software successfully imports the spreadsheet data, but the final printout or merged document only produces the first page of labels, ignoring the remaining records.

Before you start

Verify that your Excel address list has clear column headers and no completely blank rows, and ensure your document type is explicitly set to 'Labels' in the mail merge setup.

Solution 1Recommended

Use the Update Labels Feature

The most common reason for mail merge stopping after one page of labels is failing to command the software to populate the rest of the label cells with your data source.

When creating a label mail merge, Word requires you to format the first label and then manually trigger a population command. If this is skipped, the merge engine doesn't know it should place subsequent records into the remaining cells on the page.

Format the first label

Insert your desired merge fields (like Name, Address, City) into the very first cell of your label layout.

Update all labels

Navigate to the 'Mailings' tab on the ribbon and click the 'Update Labels' button. This will copy the fields from the first cell to all other cells on the page, automatically inserting the 'Next Record' rule.

Preview the results

Click 'Preview Results' in the Mailings tab to ensure that different addresses are now populating the different cells.

Finish and merge

Click 'Finish & Merge', then choose 'Edit Individual Documents' (to create a new document with all pages) or 'Print Documents' to send all pages directly to your printer.

Crucial Step: Always select 'Finish & Merge' rather than using the standard File > Print menu. Printing the preview document will only print the current visible page.

Solution 2

Create a Custom Table-Based Label Layout

If standard label templates are causing pagination issues, you can manually build a custom label layout using a perfectly distributed table.

Seamless Mail Merge

Easily Create and Print Mail Merge Labels with WPS Office

WPS Writer offers an intuitive and highly visual Mail Merge feature that seamlessly integrates with your spreadsheets, ensuring all your labels print correctly without missing pages or complex configuration.

1. Start Mail Merge: Open WPS Writer, navigate to the 'References' tab, and click on 'Mail Merge' to activate the mail merge ribbon.
2. Connect Data: Click 'Open Data Source' and select your Excel (.xlsx) address list to link your contacts.
3. Insert Fields: Click 'Insert Merge Field' to place your desired data (e.g., Name, Address) into the first label cell.
4. Update Labels: Click 'Update Labels' on the ribbon to automatically populate the rest of the sheet with the 'Next Record' command.
5. Merge to Printer: Click 'Merge to Printer' or 'Merge to Different New Document' to generate and print all pages of your labels.

Free, lightweight, and fast office suiteFully compatible with Microsoft Word (.docx) and Excel (.xlsx) formatsIntuitive Mail Merge wizard to prevent missing records and pagination errorsEasily customize and update label layouts in a user-friendly interface

microsoft office alternative - wps office

Frequently Asked Questions

Why is my mail merge only showing the first record on every label?

This happens when the 'Next Record' rule is missing. To fix this, set up your first label, then click the 'Update Labels' button in the Mailings tab. This action automatically inserts the <<Next Record>> tag into all subsequent labels so the software moves down your Excel list.

Why does File > Print only print one page of my mail merge?

Using the standard File > Print shortcut while viewing a mail merge will only print the current preview page. To print the entire dataset, you must click 'Finish & Merge' on the Mailings tab and select 'Print Documents'.

Can I use a standard Excel file as a data source for labels?

Yes, an Excel spreadsheet (.xlsx) is the ideal data source for a mail merge. Just ensure your data is organized with clear column headers in the first row (e.g., First Name, Last Name, Street Address) and that there are no completely blank rows interrupting the list.

How do I hide the table lines on my custom labels so they don't print?

Click the crosshair icon at the top-left of your table to select the entire table. Then, go to the Table Design tab (or Table Tools), click on the 'Borders' dropdown, and select 'No Border'. The gridlines may still show as faint dotted lines for editing, but they will not print.

Document & File Issues