Envelope Layout and Font Customization

Every printer and envelope stock combination behaves a little differently. AccuArk's Envelope Printer gives you full control over fonts, margins, and address positioning so you can get a perfect print regardless of your hardware setup.

Font Settings

The Envelope Printer provides two separate font size controls so you can size the return and recipient addresses independently:

• Return Address Font Size — Defaults to 9pt. This is intentionally smaller than the recipient address because the return address is secondary information. A smaller font keeps the return address compact in the upper-left corner without dominating the envelope.
• Recipient Address Font Size — Defaults to 12pt. This is larger for postal readability. Postal services and recipients need to read the delivery address clearly, so a bigger font size helps ensure accurate delivery.

Both addresses use the same font family, which is selected from the Font dropdown. You can adjust either font size independently to suit your preferences.

Font Family

Choose from any font installed on your system using the Font dropdown. The selected font applies to both the return and recipient address blocks.

Common choices for business envelopes include:

• Arial — Clean sans-serif font, easy to read at any size, widely considered the safest choice for business correspondence
• Times New Roman — Traditional serif font with a more formal appearance, commonly used in legal and professional settings
• Calibri — Modern sans-serif font, the default in many Microsoft Office applications, clean and professional

When choosing a font, prioritize legibility. Postal services and recipients need to read the address easily. Avoid decorative or script fonts that may look attractive but are difficult to read at small sizes or from a distance. A clean, standard font ensures your mail reaches its destination without issues.

Margins

Four margin values define the printable area on the envelope. All margin values are specified in inches:

Most printers cannot print to the very edge of the paper or envelope. Leave at least 0.25 inches on all sides to stay within your printer's printable area. If you notice text being cut off on any edge, increase the corresponding margin value.

Some printers have larger non-printable zones on the leading edge (the edge that feeds into the printer first). If the top or bottom of your envelope is consistently clipped, try increasing that margin to 0.5 inches.

Address Positioning (X/Y Offsets)

Beyond margins, each address block has its own X and Y offset coordinates that control exactly where it prints on the envelope. These offsets are measured in inches from the top-left corner of the envelope.

Return Address Offsets

• Return Address X — Horizontal distance from the left edge. A small value (e.g., 0.25) places the return address near the left edge, which is the standard position.
• Return Address Y — Vertical distance from the top edge. A small value (e.g., 0.25) places the return address near the top, which is the standard position.

Recipient Address Offsets

• Recipient Address X — Horizontal distance from the left edge. A value near the center of the envelope width places the delivery address in the standard center-left position.
• Recipient Address Y — Vertical distance from the top edge. A value near the vertical center of the envelope places the delivery address in the standard location.

Adjust these offsets when:

• Your printer feeds envelopes at an offset and the addresses print shifted from their expected positions
• You want to fine-tune placement for aesthetic reasons
• You are using a non-standard envelope size where the default positions do not look right

Date Position

When date printing is enabled, the date appears in the upper-right area of the envelope. Its position follows standard business envelope conventions — it sits opposite the return address in the upper-left corner.

The date position adjusts automatically based on the envelope size preset you have selected. For most business envelopes, the default position works well without manual adjustment.

Troubleshooting Alignment

If addresses print too high, too low, or shifted to one side, follow these steps to correct the alignment:

1. Print a test on plain paper first. Do not waste actual envelope stock while dialing in your alignment. Cut a piece of plain paper to the same size as your envelope, or simply note where the text lands relative to the paper edges.
2. Adjust X/Y offsets in small increments. Change values by 0.1 inch at a time. Making large jumps makes it hard to find the ideal position. Small, incremental changes let you converge on the correct alignment quickly.
3. Check your printer's feed method. Different feed methods can shift the output:
   • Manual feed / envelope slot — Usually the most accurate for envelopes, but the feed position may vary by printer model
   • Paper tray — Some printers allow envelopes in the standard tray, but alignment can be less predictable
   • Center-feed vs. edge-feed — Know whether your printer feeds from the center or edge, as this affects horizontal alignment
4. Account for envelope flap direction. Some printers require the flap to face up, others face down. The flap direction can affect the vertical offset by a small amount.
5. Verify the envelope preset matches your actual envelope. If you selected Business #10 but are using a different size, the default positions will be off.

Template Strategy

Once you find the perfect alignment for your specific printer and envelope stock combination, save it as a template immediately. This preserves all your carefully tuned settings so you never have to repeat the alignment process.

Keep in mind that different envelope sizes may need different templates. The alignment that works perfectly for a Business #10 envelope may not work for a European DL envelope because:

• The envelope dimensions are different, so address positioning changes
• Your printer may feed different envelope sizes at slightly different offsets
• Margin requirements can vary with envelope size

Create a separate template for each envelope size and printer combination you use regularly. Name your templates descriptively (e.g., "HP LaserJet - Business #10" or "Brother - Euro DL") so you can quickly identify the right one when it is time to print.