What Is a Printer Driver & What Role Do They Play in Label Printing?

What Is a Printer Driver & What Role Do They Play in Label Printing?

BY: ANTHONY BIENIEWSKI / DATE: 04/05/2023 / TOPICS: LABEL DESIGN

Printing labels is an essential process for many businesses, and a printer driver is a critical component that enables the smooth operation of label printing. In this blog post, we will discuss what a printer driver is, types of printer drivers, their importance in labeling, and how to get them.

If you want to test out one of our TEKLYNX embedded printer drivers for yourself, download a free 30-day trial of CODESOFT. 

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What Is a Printer Driver?

A printer driver is a small software program that allows a computer to communicate with a printer. It acts as a bridge between the operating system and the printer hardware, translating commands from the computer into a language the printer can understand. This allows your computer to print without having to know the specific details of your printer's hardware and software. Printer drivers are available for different types of printers and operating systems, and they enable the computer to recognize and communicate with the printer.

Types of Printer Drivers: Embedded Native Printer Drivers vs. Windows Printer Driver

When it comes to label printing, there are two types of printer drivers available: an embedded native printer driver and a Windows printer driver.

Embedded Native Printer Drivers

An embedded native printer driver is a driver that is specifically designed for a particular printer model. This type of driver provides the best performance and reliability, as it is optimized for the printer's specific features. Here are some of the advantages of using an embedded native printer driver for label printing: 

• Accurate and consistent printing: As the driver is specifically tailored to the printer's capabilities, it ensures that your label designs are printed with the highest accuracy and consistency. 
• Fast printing: The driver is optimized for the printer's specific features, which means it can print labels quickly and efficiently. 
• Easy to use: Embedded native printer drivers are easy to use since they are pre-installed and require no additional software installation. 
• Robust connectivity: These drivers offer robust connectivity options, such as Ethernet or Wi-Fi, which can improve your overall printing performance. 
• More customization: Embedded printer drivers allow for more customization in the print settings window such as print speed and printer temperature.

Windows Printer Drivers

A Windows printer driver is a generic driver that comes with your computer's operating system. It is not optimized for a specific printer and may not support all of its features. Here are some of the advantages and disadvantages of using a Windows printer driver for label printing: 

Advantages: 

• Easy to install: Windows printer drivers are easy to install, as they come pre-installed with your computer's operating system. 
• Compatibility: They are compatible with a wide range of printers, which means you can use them with multiple printer models. 

Disadvantages:

• Limited functionality: Windows printer drivers may not support all of the features of your printer, which means you may not be able to customize the settings for each print job. 
• Inconsistent printing: Because the driver is not optimized for a specific software, the printing quality may not be as accurate or consistent. 
• Slow printing: The driver may not be optimized for the printer's specific features, which means it may take longer to print labels. 

Ultimately, an embedded native printer driver is a better choice for label printing because it provides the best performance and reliability. While Windows printer drivers may be easy to install and compatible with a wide range of printers, they lack the functionality and optimization required for accurate and consistent label printing. 

Why Should I Use a Printer Driver for Label Printing?

Improved accuracy

There are several reasons why you should use a printer driver for label printing. First, printer drivers can improve the accuracy of your labels. When you use a printer driver, the data that is sent to your printer is translated into a format that the printer can understand. This helps to ensure that your labels are printed correctly, with no errors or misalignments. 

Faster printing speeds

Second, printer drivers can improve the speed of your label printing. When you use a printer driver, the data that is sent to your printer is pre-processed. This helps to reduce the amount of time that it takes for your printer to print your labels. 

Better Barcode Clarity

Printer drivers are especially important for printing barcodes because they allow the printer to understand the specific barcode symbology that you are using. There are many different types of barcode symbologies, each one with its own unique set of requirements. For example, some barcode symbologies require the use of a specific type of printer, while others require the use of a specific type of label. The printer driver will take all of these factors into account and ensure that the barcode is printed correctly. 

Where Do I Get a Printer Driver?

TEKLYNX offers a range of printer drivers for the most popular label printer models, including Brother, Zebra, Epson, Canon, and many others. Our most up-to-date native embedded printer drivers are already pre-installed in our latest version of software, eliminating the need to go through an installation process. If you are not on the newest version of TEKLYNX software, you can find all our printer drivers on the TEKLYNX website, where you can download the latest version for your specific printer model. 

TEKLYNX has developed over 4,000 native label printer drivers to provide the best overall quality for your barcode labeling needs. Our development teams across the globe work closely with printer manufacturers to develop high-quality drivers that optimize printer performance. With our TEKLYNX Driver Service Pack (DSP), our developers are continuously creating and testing new printer drivers as technology evolves.  

All TEKLYNX embedded native printer drivers can be found on our website: 

• Printer drivers for Brother printers for CODESOFT, LABELVIEW, or LABEL MATRIX 
• Printer drivers for Canon printers for CODESOFT, LABELVIEW, or LABEL MATRIX 
• Printer drivers for Zebra printers for CODESOFT, LABELVIEW, or LABEL MATRIX 
• Printer drivers for Epson printers for CODESOFT, LABELVIEW, or LABEL MATRIX 
• Printer drivers for SATO printers for CODESOFT, LABELVIEW, or LABEL MATRIX 
• Printer drivers for BIXOLON printers for CODESOFT, LABELVIEW, or LABEL MATRIX 
• Printer drivers for Toshiba printers for CODESOFT, LABELVIEW, or LABEL MATRIX
• Printer drivers for TSC printers for CODESOFT, LABELVIEW, or LABEL MATRIX
• Printer drivers for Printronix printers for CODESOFT, LABELVIEW, or LABEL MATRIX 
• Printer drivers for Honeywell printers for CODESOFT, LABELVIEW, or LABEL MATRIX
• and many more...

How to Add or Install a Printer Driver in TEKLYNX Software

Adding, installing, and updating printer drivers for TEKLYNX software is fast and straightforward, creating less downtime in production for you. For step-by-step directions pertaining to printer drivers, visit our TEKLYNX support center here: support.teklynx.com. Below are the steps for adding a printer driver in TEKLYNX software: 

How to add a printer driver:

1. Launch LABEL MATRIX, LABELVIEW, or CODESOFT 
2. Navigate to the File dropdown menu and click Select Printer 
3. Click the Add button 
4. Select your model of printer in the list of manufacturers 
5. Select your Port associated with the printer 
6. Select the new printer driver you have just added 
7. Click OK 

Choose TEKLYNX Embedded Native Printer Drivers

Printer drivers are a critical component of label printing. They enable the computer to communicate with the printer, translate label designs into a language the printer can interpret, and provide users with more printing flexibility and customization options. You can count on TEKLYNX to create reliable printer drivers for faster and more accurate label printing.  

Download a free trial of CODESOFT barcode label design software to use our embedded native printer drivers. 

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