Printing Problems

How to Remove Faint Lines When Printing Word Labels (Avery 8871)

Kushani Nimanthika Sep 30, 2026 868 views

Question details

The user needs to eliminate faint lines or borders that appear when printing Avery 8871 labels.

How to Remove Faint Lines When Printing Word Labels

Product: Microsoft Word
Device & OS: macOS
Scenario: The user is trying to print Avery 8871 labels on card stock for an urgent event, but template boundaries or text-box outlines are printing on the final output.
Observed behavior: Faint lines remain visible on the printed Avery labels even after the 'No Borders' option has been selected in the Word document.

Before you start

Before attempting to print on your actual Avery card stock, run test prints on standard plain paper to verify that the lines are gone and the alignment is correct, saving your expensive label sheets.

Solution 1Recommended

Use Word's Built-in Label Options Instead of Downloaded Templates

Downloaded Avery templates are often pre-formatted documents containing text boxes that can accidentally print. Using Word's native label tool ensures clean table formatting.

Third-party label templates often rely on invisible text boxes or shapes. Depending on your printer driver's interpretation of the document, these hidden boundaries may render on paper as faint lines. Switching to Word's built-in label templates generates a clean, borderless table structure that prevents this issue.

Open Label Settings

Open a blank Microsoft Word document, navigate to the 'Mailings' tab on the ribbon, and click on 'Labels'.

Access Label Options

In the Envelopes and Labels dialog box, click the 'Options' button to configure your label size.

Select the Avery Template

Select 'Avery US Letter' from the Label vendors drop-down menu, scroll down to choose '8871' from the Product number list, and click 'OK'.

Enter Text and Print

Type your information into the Address box, ensure 'Full page of the same label' is selected, and click 'Print' to print your clean labels.

Use Word's Built-in Label Options Instead of Downloaded Templates

Recommended Approach: Using built-in templates is the most reliable way to avoid hidden text-box borders commonly found in downloaded label files.

Solution 2

Manually Remove Text-Box Outlines and Table Borders

If you must use the downloaded Avery document, manually ensure that all shapes and tables have their printable outlines removed.

Solution 3

Update Printer Drivers and Reset the Mac Printing System

Outdated printer drivers or corrupted printing systems on macOS can cause non-printing template guidelines to render on the final print.

Print Labels Seamlessly

Create and Print Clean Labels with WPS Office

WPS Writer offers an intuitive mailing and label generation tool that seamlessly processes Avery formats without leaving unwanted text-box guidelines or table borders on your printed cards.

1. Open WPS Writer: Launch WPS Writer and navigate to the 'Mailings' tab on the top ribbon.
2. Access the Envelopes and Labels Tool: Click on 'Envelopes and Labels', then switch to the 'Labels' tab in the dialog box.
3. Choose Avery Template: Click 'Options', select 'Avery' as the label vendor, find your specific product number (e.g., 8871), and confirm.
4. Print Borderless Labels: Enter your desired text. WPS natively handles these layouts as clean tables without forcing unwanted shape outlines. Click 'Print'.

Free, lightweight, and fast word processorPerfect compatibility with Microsoft Word (.docx) label templatesPrecise control over table borders and hidden outlinesBuilt-in tools for seamless bulk printing and mail merge

microsoft office alternative - wps office

Frequently Asked Questions

Why do gridlines show on my screen but still print anyway?

Gridlines are visual aids designed not to print. However, if your label document was created using text boxes with thin borders, or if the table cells have a fine line width actively applied, those will print. You must select the elements and explicitly apply 'No Border' or 'No Outline'.

How can I test my label alignment without wasting expensive Avery card stock?

Always print your first test on a standard sheet of plain paper. Place this printed sheet directly over your blank Avery label sheet and hold them both up to a light source to check alignment and verify no unwanted template lines are visible.

Are built-in Word templates better than downloaded Avery templates?

Yes. Built-in Word templates utilize standard table structures configured to exact layout measurements. Downloaded documents often rely on layered text boxes or shapes, which can cause formatting conflicts, text overflow, and unwanted printed borders.

Document & File Issues