You will need the Check-In permission to change station and label settings. To add or edit the labels on an event, you will need Full Write Events (or, for a group calendar event, to be the group leader or have Full Write Groups).
Most "labels won't print" reports come down to one of two things: the event isn't set to print any labels, or the printer isn't set up for your operating system. This guide walks you through both. Work through it in order — the first two sections resolve the large majority of cases.
This article assumes you have already installed your printer. If you haven't, start with How do I set up a check-in station? and the install guide for your printer, then come back here if labels still aren't printing.
Quick jump
Start here: identify your setup
Before you troubleshoot, pin down two things. The rest of this article is organized around your answers.
1. Which printer and device are you using?
Your printer only works on certain operating systems. This is the single most common reason a printer "isn't recognized."
Dymo LabelWriter 450 / 550 — works on Windows and macOS. It does not work directly on iOS or Android.
Zebra (ZD-series and most models) — works on Windows and macOS. It does not work directly on iOS or Android.
Brother QL-810W / QL-820NWB — works on iOS and Android. It does not work directly on Windows or macOS.
If your printer and device don't match (for example, a Brother printer with a Windows station), you don't need a different printer — you can send print jobs to another station using the Prints To feature. See Printing from a station that can't print directly below.
2. What exactly is happening?
Match your situation to the right section:
A test check-in shows the printer connected, but nothing prints (you may see "Will print 0 labels") — go to Most common cause: "Will print 0 labels".
The name label prints, but the security label doesn't (or vice versa) — go to A name label prints but the security label doesn't.
The printer isn't listed or isn't recognized in the app — go to the section for your printer brand.
Labels print blank, cut wrong, or with missing information — go to your printer brand section, then The printer is connected but nothing comes out.
Most common cause: "Will print 0 labels"
This is the number one reason labels don't print, and it is not a printer problem. If your test print works and the app says the printer is connected, but nothing prints when you check someone in, the event almost certainly has no labels assigned — or the person checking in doesn't match the label's criteria.
By default, events do not print any labels. Enabling check-in on an event does not automatically add labels; you have to assign them.
How to confirm and fix it
Open the event and go to the Attendance > Settings tab (also reachable from the event's Check-In tab under the Labels sub-tab).
Look at the Check-In Labels section. If it's empty, that's your answer — the event will print zero labels until you add at least one.
Click Assign Label and choose a label. Follow How do I assign labels to print? for the details.
Make sure you pick a label designed for the printer you actually have connected. A label built for a Dymo will not print on a Brother, and vice versa — each label lists the printer it was made for and only prints if that printer is online at check-in.
Run another test check-in. The message at the bottom should now show the labels that will print.
Two things that trip people up here:
Labels are per event. If you assign labels to one event, a different event (or a future/recurring one) still needs its own labels assigned. Check the specific event you're running.
Labels only print for matching people. A label prints only for the family positions and groups you selected when you assigned it. If it's set to print for children in a specific group and you test-check-in an adult, you'll correctly see "Will print 0 labels." Test with someone who matches, or widen the label's criteria.
A name label prints but the security label doesn't
If some labels print and others don't, this is an event configuration issue, not a printer issue.
Name labels print once per person being checked in.
Security labels print once for the whole family/group being checked in — and a security label only prints if a name label also prints.
So if no name label is set to print, the security label won't print either. For kids check-in, we recommend assigning both a name label and a security label. See How do I assign labels to print? for the recommended configuration.
If a label prints but is missing information (for example, a security tag that used to show the group name), re-open the label in Check-In Labels and confirm the fields you want are still selected.
If you're using Dymo (Windows / Mac)
Dymo printers work on Windows and macOS only. Full setup steps are in How do I install a Dymo printer?.
Confirm the correct Dymo software is installed. You should have either Dymo Connect or Dymo Label Software installed — not both, and not the wrong one for your printer and operating system. If the wrong one (or both) is installed, uninstall all Dymo products, reinstall the correct one from the install article, and restart the computer.
Make sure the Dymo web service is running. The check-in app talks to your Dymo through this background service. Look for the Dymo icon in the Windows system tray (bottom-right) or the macOS menu bar (top).
If the Dymo isn't listed at the bottom of the Check-In app:
Open the Dymo web service from the system tray (Windows) or menu bar (Mac).
Run a diagnosis. Click the Dymo icon and choose Diagnose. If you see DYMO Connect Service is running on port #####, the service is working. Take a screenshot — support may ask for it.
Reset the web service. Click the Dymo icon again and choose Reset.
Refresh the station. In the Check-In app, click the cog icon in the lower-right, enter the station PIN, and choose Refresh Station.
Check for the printer at the bottom of the app. If it appears, run a test check-in. If it doesn't, unplug the printer, plug it back in, and refresh again.
Test the web service directly. Visit Dymo's Preview and Print Label sample page, select your printer, and print a test. If the printer isn't listed there, the problem is with the Dymo web service, not One Church — make sure it's installed and running.
Dymo-specific notes
Blank labels? This is usually one of two things: a Windows update left an outdated Dymo version (install the latest from the install article), or you have several duplicate printer instances fighting each other (see The printer is connected but nothing comes out).
LabelWriter 550: you must use Dymo-brand labels with the RFID sticker in the core. Third-party labels will not print on the 550.
"Browser not found" on the test print points to the Dymo web service not running — work through the steps above.
If you're using Zebra (Windows / Mac)
Zebra printers work on Windows and macOS only. Full setup steps are in How do I install a Zebra printer?.
Confirm QZ Tray is installed and running. QZ Tray is the background tool the check-in station uses to talk to Zebra printers, and printing will not work without it. Look for the QZ Tray icon in your system tray (Windows) or menu bar (Mac), and set it to Start Automatically. QZ Tray needs Java; if it won't install on a Mac, install Java first, then install QZ Tray again.
Confirm the printer name contains the word "Zebra." The check-in system finds Zebra printers by name. If your printer is named something else, rename it (for example, Zebra GK420d) in Printers & Scanners. (If you installed via CUPS on a Mac, it's already named correctly.)
If the QZ Tray certificate has expired, reinstall the latest version of QZ Tray from the install article.
Zebra-specific notes
On a Mac, Zebra has no official driver, so you must install CUPS — see How do I install CUPS for Zebra printer support on Mac?. This is technical; where possible we recommend using Windows for Zebra.
Windows 11 with the ZDesigner v8 driver: if the printer doesn't appear on the Printers & Scanners page, manage it from the Zebra Setup Utilities tool instead.
Unsupported models: the LP2844Z and ZSB series do not work.
If you're using Brother (iOS / Android)
Brother printers work on the iOS and Android check-in apps only. Full setup steps are in How do I install a Brother printer?.
Use the correct labels. Brother supports only 62mm continuous labels (DK-2205), which are 2-3/7" (2.4 in) tall. The sample labels that come in the box and most third-party labels will not work — a Brother printer detects the label by the cartridge it's in, so the wrong label produces an "Error printing label" or "wrong media" message even when everything else is set up correctly.
Connect the printer inside the app. Turn the printer on, make sure it's on the same Wi-Fi network as your device, then tap the cog menu in the lower-right and choose Printer Settings. Pick your printer from the list and tap Save. (If the printer was just turned on, give it a minute to appear.)
Confirm the printer's network settings. If the app still can't reach the printer, print the printer's configuration label: turn the printer on (solid green light), press and hold the cut button until the green light flashes, then release. It prints a few labels, one showing the network details. Check:
SSID matches the Wi-Fi network your device is on.
Communication Type is Infrastructure — if it says Wireless Direct, change it.
IP Address is not 0.0.0.0 — if it is, the printer isn't on the network and its network settings need to be reset.
Template Settings is Off, WLAN On Power On is Keep Current State, and Auto Power settings are Off.
To change these, open a browser on the same Wi-Fi network, enter the printer's IP address, log in as admin (the password is often on the bottom of the printer), and update the settings on the Printer Settings tab. Then restart the check-in app and select the printer again.
Brother-specific notes
Brother printers only connect to 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi. Many routers broadcast 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz under one name — separating them (a distinct SSID for 2.4 GHz) makes the printer connection far more stable.
Distance matters. If the printer is far from the tablet, they may struggle to communicate. Keep them close.
10.x.x.x IP addresses suggest a more complex network. Your IT team may need to confirm the printer and device can reach each other (subnet, etc.). It can help to confirm the printer prints over Wi-Fi from a regular computer, outside of check-in.
The printer is connected but nothing comes out
If the app shows the printer connected and labels are assigned, but nothing prints (or prints blank), the issue is usually on the computer or the hardware.
Remove duplicate printer instances. A computer can create a new copy of a printer each time you plug it into a different USB port, and the copies can conflict. In Devices and Printers (Windows) or System Settings > Printers & Scanners (Mac), remove any inactive duplicates and set the one you use as the default printer. To avoid this in the future, always plug the printer into the same USB port.
Reset the printer. Unplug the printer's power cord for a full 30 seconds, then plug it back in. Make sure the connection is snug — a loose cable can cause dropouts and may mean you need a new cable or printer.
Printing from a station that can't print directly
If your printer and device don't match (a Brother on a Windows station, or a Dymo/Zebra on a tablet), you can still print by sending jobs to another station.
When you set up or edit a station, use the Prints To setting to choose which station handles the printing. The station you select must be online, running the check-in system, and have the printer connected and set up. See How do I set up a check-in station? for details.
Still stuck? Clean install and contact support
If none of the above worked, do a clean install of the printer:
Remove the printer from the printers area of your computer and unplug it.
Follow the Install the Printer section of How do I set up a check-in station? to reinstall from scratch.
If it still won't print, reach out to support. To help us help you quickly, include:
Your printer model and the device/operating system it's connected to.
What you see at the bottom of the app during a test check-in (for example, "Will print 0 labels").
For Dymo: a screenshot of the Diagnose result. For Brother: a photo of the printer's configuration label.
One last tip: if you print labels at your events, test every check-in station ahead of time — not just that it's set up, but that labels actually print as expected.