Printing issues with a Brother QL-800 printer in PitneyShip, PitneyShip Pro, or PitneyShip Enterprise

Learn how to resolve printing issues with a Brother QL-800 printer.
Products affected: PitneyShip®, PitneyShip® Pro, PitneyShip® Enterprise

Issue

When printing stamps on a Brother QL-800 label roll printer, the printer does not print.

Cause

  • The label roll may not be compatible
  • Editor Lite mode may be on.
  • There may be an issue with the printer connections.
  • There may be an issue with the label roll installation.

Resolution

Solution 1: Verify label roll compatibility

Both Pitney Bowes and Brother make label rolls which can be used with the Brother printer. However, PitneyShip, PitneyShip Pro, and PitneyShip Enterprise can only print on Pitney Bowes rolls, not on Brother rolls. The Pitney Bowes rolls that can be used are available from the Pitney Bowes Online Shop.

Solution 2: Turn off Editor Lite mode

Editor Lite mode should be off. If there is a green light above the Editor Lite button, press the Editor Lite button to turn it off, then restart PitneyShip, PitneyShip Pro, and PitneyShip Enterprise.

Solution 3: Check the printer connections

  • The Brother printer is ready to print when the status light on the front of the printer is solid green.
  • If the status light on the front of the printer is not lit, press the power button once to turn it on.
  • If the printer does not turn on, try plugging it in to a different electrical outlet.
  • If the printer still does not turn on, try using a different power cord (if you have one). Ensure that the power cord is securely connected to both the printer and the outlet.
  • Try using a different USB cable to connect the printer to the computer. Ensure that the USB cable is securely connected to both the printer and the computer.
  • If the USB cable is connected through a USB hub, try connecting the USB cable directly to the computer without using the USB hub.
  • Try connecting the USB cable to a different USB port on the computer.
  • Note that roll printers connected to a Mac via USB-C or Thunderbolt are not supported.

Solution 4: Check the label roll installation and path

  1. Press the power button to turn the printer off.
  2. Remove the bracket that holds the label roll from the printer.
  3. Check the area where the label feeds through the printer. Remove any material that is jammed inside the printer. A business card can be fed through the area where the label feeds through the printer to remove any jammed material.
  4. Place the bracket that holds the roll back inside the printer, ensuring that it is properly seated.
  5. Feed the end of the roll into the slot until the edge of the roll can be seen at the front of the printer. If the end cannot be fed through to the front of the printer, there may be a label jammed inside the printer.
  6. Press the power button to turn the printer on.
  7. Press the Feed button, then press the Cut button.

Solution 5: Reinstall the printer

See Installing the Brother QL-800 printer.

UPDATED: June 28, 2024