^PR controls how fast the printer moves media. Zebra printers support multiple speed settings: print speed (how fast it prints), slew speed (how fast it advances between labels), and backfeed speed (how fast it reverses for peel/cut modes).
Print speed directly affects print quality. Faster speeds can reduce darkness and barcode definition — especially at the minimum and maximum ends of the range. Most production environments use 4–6 IPS as a balance between throughput and quality.
Valid speed values vary by printer model. Common values are 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12 IPS. Unsupported values are rounded to the nearest valid speed.
Slew speed (parameter s) is the speed at which the media advances between labels. Setting it higher than print speed does not improve throughput meaningfully and can cause alignment issues. If omitted, it defaults to the print speed.
Backfeed speed (parameter b) controls reverse motion used in peel-off and cut modes. If omitted, it also defaults to the print speed.
Syntax
^PRp[,s,b]
Parameters
| Parameter | Type | Default | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| p | integer (IPS) | optional | Print speed in inches per second. Valid values depend on printer model. |
| s | integer (IPS) | same as p | Slew (media advance) speed in IPS. |
| b | integer (IPS) | same as p | Backfeed speed in IPS (used in peel and cut modes). |
Examples
Set print speed to 4 IPS
Try in Viewer^XA ^PR4 ^FO50,50^A0N,36,36^FDPrint Speed: 4 IPS^FS ^XZ
Set different print, slew, and backfeed speeds
Try in Viewer^XA ^PR4,6,2 ^FO50,50^A0N,36,36^FDPrint: 4, Slew: 6, Backfeed: 2^FS ^XZ
Common Mistakes
- !Using a speed value not supported by the target printer model — it silently rounds to the nearest valid speed.
- !Setting print speed too high for the media and darkness settings — barcodes may fail to scan.
- !Expecting ^PR to apply retroactively to an already-printing job — it takes effect on the next label.