How to Make Name Tags in Word (Free Templates at Real Badge Sizes)

In Microsoft Word, go to Mailings > Labels > Options, choose Avery US Letter and the product number on your name tag sheet (for example 5395 for 2-1/3 x 3-3/8 in adhesive badges), then click New Document and type the names, or use Mail Merge to pull them from a spreadsheet. Paper and sticker name tags are fine for a one-day event; for badges your team wears every day, with a full-color logo, order printed badges instead.

Avery name tag templates and sizes

Word has these templates built in, so you do not need to download anything. The number is printed on the front of the Avery package.

How to make name tags in Word, step by step

1. Open a blank document and click the Mailings tab, then Labels.
2. Click Options. Set Label vendors to Avery US Letter and pick your product number (5395, 8395, 74459, or 5390). Click OK.
3. Click New Document. Word opens a page laid out as a table that matches the sheet. If you cannot see the cell edges, turn on View Gridlines under Table Layout.
4. Type one name per cell. Set the first name large and bold, with the title or company smaller underneath. Add a logo with Insert > Pictures.
5. Print one page on plain paper first, hold it behind a label sheet up to a light to check alignment, then load the label sheets and print. Print at 100% or Actual size, never Fit to page.

How to print a name for every guest with Mail Merge

1. Put your list in Excel with a header row, for example First Name, Last Name, Company.
2. In Word, click Mailings > Start Mail Merge > Labels and choose Avery US Letter and your product number.
3. Click Select Recipients > Use an Existing List and pick your spreadsheet.
4. In the first label, click Insert Merge Field and add First Name, Last Name, and Company. Format them the way you want.
5. Click Update Labels to copy that layout to every label, then Preview Results.
6. Click Finish & Merge, then Edit Individual Documents to check the pages, or Print Documents to print.

When to order printed name badges instead

Which Avery template is the standard name tag size?

The classic "Hello, my name is" size is 2-1/3 x 3-3/8 in, which is Avery 5395 or 8395, with 8 badges per sheet. For conference badges on a lanyard, 3 x 4 in (Avery 74459) is the common size.

Can I make name tags in Word without Avery sheets?

Yes. In Mailings > Labels > Options, click New Label and enter your sheet's label height, width, margins, and number across and down. Measure the sheet with a ruler first, because a small error repeats on every label.

Why are my name tags printing out of line?

The usual cause is printer scaling. Set the print dialog to 100% or Actual size, make sure the paper size is Letter, and confirm you chose the same product number in Word that is on the package.

What font size should I use on a name tag?

Make the first name the largest line, bold, and in a plain sans serif font so it reads at conversation distance of 3 to 6 feet. See our guide to badge text size and readability for point sizes.

For badges your team will wear every day, design a printed name badge or see plastic name badges. Every badge and sign is made in-house in the USA by NameBadge.com, a family-owned company since 2008.