In RegFox, you can create personalized badges for your in-person registrants. Using the Zebra badge feature, you can print badges directly from the Check-In App. In this article, we’ll guide you through purchasing a Zebra printer and printing your badges successfully through the RegFox Check-In app.

Warning: When looking to use this feature, we recommend choosing your Zebra printer and badges carefully. Click here to learn more about the Zebra model needed to print on-site with RegFox.

Note: Zebra Badge Printing is available for customers on the RegFox Premium and RegFox Professional plans. This feature is not included in the Standard plan.

If you’d like to use this feature, we recommend upgrading to RegFox Premium. Learn more about RegFox plans here.

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Compatible Zebra Printer and Badges

When using this feature, be sure to select the correct Zebra printer and badge type. RegFox only supports specific printers and badges, so choosing the right one is essential for smooth printing. Below are the supported models and specifications.

Important Compatibility Notes

To allow sufficient time to adjust printer settings and finalize your template, we strongly recommend ordering your printer and badges at least 4 weeks in advance. This gives you several weeks to test your printer and design, ensuring everything is ready for your event day.

The Zebra 621 offers many different models with different configuration and options. It is very important to choose the correct model that's compatible with our badge printing feature. Using an unsupported model may lead to printing issues or problems with badge calibration and alignment.

Choose the Right Zebra Printer

Our badge printing feature is compatible with the Zebra 621. Please read additional compatibility requirements below. This feature is also compatible with the Zebra ZD620, but this printer is now discontinued.

Warning: The Zebra 621 has many different models with different configuration and options. It is very important to know which model is correct and compatible for badge printing. We recommend renting Zebra printers from us to ensure that the printers are compatible. Please reach out to our team to rent devices from RegFox.

If you want to rent or purchase a Zebra on your own, we recommend using the Zebra ZD6A142-D01L01EZ. You can buy one here. If you choose to rent or purchase our printer from another provider, please note that your printer must have these two features. Models without these features will not work properly. We also recommend finding a Zebra printer with a touch screen for controls, as it is easier to navigate the Zebra options.

Bluetooth 4.1 Connection: Your printer must have full Bluetooth 4.1 connectivity. The models with only Bluetooth LE (Low Energy) 5.0 cannot print from our Check-In app
203 DPI: Your printer must use 203 DPI. 300 DPI Printers are not compatible with the Check-In app.

Choosing the Right Badge Stock

We recommend fan fold badge stock with black registration markers on every page. There are a number of manufacturers that create these badges. Please read additional compatibility requirements below. Failure to do so may result in improper formatting.

Note: We recommend ordering at least 10-20% more badges then your expected registrants. This accounts for badges used during printer calibration, testing, and any potential misprints or other issues.

In RegFox, a double-side badge is created by folding two single-sided badges together. This means you must purchase twice as many badges as you plan to print when using a double-sided badge template.

Warning: While Zebra printers offer many types of badges, the RegFox Zebra feature is only compatible with specific kinds of badges. For this reason, we recommend selecting your badges carefully. The most common are either 4x6 badges here and purchasing 4x3 badges here. If you would prefer to purchase badges from your own provider, we recommend purchasing badges that meet these specifications.

Your Badges Must Have a Black Bar Between Each Badge: When using the Zebra feature, you must have a black bar between each badge. This applies if you are using a single-sided template or double-sided template

Set up Your Zebra Printer

Pro Tip: We highly recommend testing your badge printing at least a week before your event to ensure that everything prints as expected. This allows you to identify and resolve any issues in advance, ensuring a smooth printing experience on the day of your event.

Note: Printing badges from the check-in app is currently only supported with iOS devices. Android coming soon.

Plug in your Zebra printer via the power adaptor, and turn on the Zebra printer
Perform a factory reset if the device has been previously used. This will restore all printer settings to their original factory defaults.

Load the badge stock into the Zebra printer
- Open the Zebra control panel by finding the yellow release levers on the side of the printer and pulling them forward
- Position the badges so that the side with the black bar faces down. Additionally, feed the edge with the black bar into the back of the printer first, with the black marker at the front of the feed. The bottom of the badges have an arrow with "Feed Direction" listed - make sure the feed direction matches the way the badges are loaded.
- Feed the badges through the back of the Zebra printer, ensuring your badges pass under the guides
  - Adjust the guides to the badge stock size by using the track wheel in between the guides to make sure they fit the width of the badges. The guides should be tight enough to keep the stock centered without bending the badges
- Feed the badge through the front of the printer so an inch of the badge hangs out the front, and close the lid of the printer

Pro Tip: To ensure badges printer correctly, position the badge so the side with the black bar faces down, and feed the edge with the black bar into the back of the printer first.

Run the print wizard, or manually calibrate your printer and adjust your settings. This helps to prevent alignment issues or skipped badges
- Use the Print Wizard (recommended)
  - Print Type: Select if you are using media and ribbon (thermal transfer) or just media (direct thermal)
  - Media Type: Select "Mark"
  - Print Width: For a 203 DPI printer, set the print width to 812
  - Media Handling: Select what media handling the printer should use with your media after printing. Select tear off, peel off, rewind, cutter, or delayed cut
  - Perform a calibration, and print a test badge
  - Image Adjust: adjust the distance between the top edge of the label and the tear/peel bar. If you badge looks good, keep this at 0
  - Adjustment Speed: Adjust the darkness and speed manually, or use the print quality assistant if you would like to adjust either of these

Connect Your Zebra Printer to Your iOS Device

After setting up your Zebra printer, configure its Bluetooth settings so you can connect it to your iOS device.

Press the network icon on the printer touchscreen
Press Bluetooth

Press Bluetooth again. Ensure it is set to On

Press the left arrow in the top left corner to return to the previous menu
Press Bluetooth Discover
Ensure Bluetooth Discovery is set to On

You can now press the Home icon and connect to the printer from your phone via Bluetooth

Print Your Badges from the Check-In App

Pro Tip: Before printing badges, you must create your badge template in RegFox. Click here to learn how to create and design your badges.

Note: Make sure you have strong, consistent Wifi (at least 15mb download/upload) and bluetooth connectivity from your check-in device to the printer.

Pair your Zebra bluetooth with your iOS device
In RegFox, ensure that you have created Zebra badges for your page. Click here to learn how to do so

Pro Tip: To print badges on-site using the RegFox Check-In App, you must first create an app key for your event. Click here to learn how to set this up.

Log in to the RegFox Check-In App
Scan the registrant's QR code or search their name or email
Check-in your attendee (if they aren't already checked in)
After checking in your attendee, tap Print Badge

Troubleshooting Guide

We recommend troubleshooting a week before. Here are some troubleshooting steps we recommend if you are running into specific errors when testing. If you still need help after completing these troubleshooting steps, please feel free to reach out to our team.

Note: Make sure you have strong (at least 15mb download/upload), consistent Wifi and bluetooth connectivity from your check-in device to the printer.

Your Zebra isn't showing up in your device's Bluetooth settings or won't connect

Here are some troubleshooting steps if your device isn't showing up, or if you're having trouble connecting.

Turn Off Bluetooth Bonding
- Go to your Zebra printer settings
- Select Connection Settings
- Select Bluetooth
- Scroll down until you find Bluetooth Bonding
- Turn this setting off
- Turn the Bluetooth setting off, and turn this setting back on
- Try to reconnect

Ensure no other devices are connected to the printer
- If there were any devices previously connected to the printer, disconnect/forget the connection
- Reconnect to the Zebra on the device you want to use

The Check-In App does not show the option to print

Here are some troubleshooting steps if the Check-In App doesn't show the option to print.

Note: The option to print from the Check-In app is only available from iOS devices. If you are using an Android device, this option will not appear. If you only have an Android device, we recommend printing via USB.

Check that your printer has Bluetooth 4.1
- Under Interface or Connectivity, check that your printer has Bluetooth 4.1 listed. This can be found on the product details section where you purchased the printer
- If your printer has bluetooth LE (Low Energy), it will show up on your device connections list, but will not be able to print from the Check-In app

After confirming that your printer has Bluetooth 4.1, make sure your printer is connected to your device in the Bluetooth settings
- Go to your device settings, and ensure that your device is connected to your printer. Make sure your device is not forgotten/disconnected

After confirming your printer and device connectivity, turn on the "Force Badge Printing" setting
- After confirming that your printer has Bluetooth 4.1, your printer is connected to your device, and your device is an iOS device, turn on the "Forget Badge Printing" setting
- Go to the Check-In App settings
- Turn on the toggle "Force Badge Printing." This toggle will make the button appear at all times on the app
- NOTE: If the button doesn't appear, it's usually because the Check-In app does not detect a connected printer. We only recommend using the "Force Badge Printing" option as a last resort in case of connection issues

Your Zebra is not printing badges

These are troubleshooting steps if Zebra is not printing your badge.

Check your printer's basic settings
- Confirm that the printer is plugged in and turned on
- Confirm that your printer is connected via USB to your computer or via Bluetooth on your device when using the check-in app

Check that the printer is not paused
- Check that your Zebra printer is not paused
- If the printer is paused, press the pause button to unpause the device. This will allow the printer to start printing again. The printer can become paused if the button is pressed, or it has been recently recalibrated

Check for any large images or backgrounds on your badge template
- If you are using a large image or background on the badge, try removing the image from your badge template. The image file size may be slowing down the print time for the badge

When printing via USB, make sure to use Chrome and that you have the correct permissions
- If printing via USB, make sure you are using Chrome. Other browsers, such as Firefox or Safari, will not work
- Confirm that Chrome has permissions to use the USB device. If Chrome does not have these permissions, turn on these permissions

Your Zebra is printing out blank badges, or won't stop feeding out badges

Check your badge type
- If there is only one black bar every two badges, please reach out to our team so we can help design your template to match the badge type

If your printer keeps feeding badges, calibrate your printer, or clean the laser sensor
- If your printer keeps feeding badges, you may see a "Media Out" message
- In this case, try reloading the badges and performing another calibration. You can calibrate the printer by holding down the Pause and X buttons on the printer itself for about 2 seconds, or going through the Print Wizard again to reset the printer settings
- If you still experience issues after this calibration, try cleaning the laser sensor

Your Zebra is printing, but the badge is off-center, looks strange or is misaligned

Make sure your badge stock is going the right way
- Make sure that you are feeding the edge with the black bar into the back of the printer first. The black marker should be at the front of the feed, with the arrow directed to the front of the printer

Make sure your printer is a 203 DPI Printer
- Make sure that your printer is a 203 DPI printer, not a 300 DPI printer. If you have a 300 DPI printer, we recommend only printing via USB, as there is no way to scale the image to a 300 DPI printer from our Check-In app

Recalibrate your printer
- You can calibrate the printer by holding down the Pause and X buttons on the printer itself for about 2 seconds, or going through the Print Wizard again to reset the printer settings
- The printer will use a badge or two in order to recalibrate where to start and stop the badge printing

Make sure your template on your badge setup page is matching the registration type of the person being printed
- If you have multiple Zebra templates in your RegFox page, make sure the template selected on your badge setup page matches the registration option of the person you're printing for
- For example, if you have a General Admission badge and a VIP badge, confirm that you are using a General Admission badge template if you're printing for a General Admission registrant

Check your print settings that would affect the print
- Confirm that your print settings look correct. Some examples of important print settings
- Print Width: For a 203 DPI printer, set the print width to 812
- Tear Off Length: This setting can affect if the design is printed a little higher or lower on the badge than expected, and determines how far Zebra will move a badge out to allow for it to tear off.

My badge is printing too faintly or too darkly

Update the Adjustment Speed
- Change the adjustment speed for your badges. To do this, navigate to the print settings, and adjust the print darkness.
- Run the print wizard. On the Print Wizard, select the default settings until you reach the Adjustment Speed section. On this section, adjust the darkness and speed manually, or use the print quality assistant if you would like

FAQs

When should I buy my Zebra printer and test it out to ensure that printing goes smoothly?

To ensure smooth printing on the day of your event, we recommend buying and testing your Zebra printer and badges early. This ensures you have enough time to test and troubleshoot.

4 weeks before your event, we recommend order your Zebra printer and badges
Two weeks before your event, we recommend creating your badges and completing a test print
One week before your event, we recommend setting up your printer and printing your first badge

What is the cost for using the Zebra printer feature?

The badge printing feature in RegFox is included at no additional cost with RegFox Premium and Pro plans. However, your event is responsible for purchasing the required hardware and materials, such as Zebra badge printers, badge stock, and other printing supplies.

Event organizers must source compatible equipment and materials. To successfully use this feature, be sure all items meet the required specifications. Click here to view a list of compatible Zebra printers and badge stock.

How many Zebra printers should I rent or purchase for my event?

The number of Zebra printers your event needs depends on several factors, including:

The number of registrants attending your event
How quickly registrants will arrive and check in
Your event’s specific check-in flow
Your registrant demographics and level of preparedness

If you are using the RegFox check-in app to check in registrants and print badges, one Zebra printer can typically process approximately 75–90 registrants per hour. However, the check-in process takes longer if registrants do not have their QR code ready when they arrive at the check-in counter. For larger events or events with heavy arrival surges, you may want to rent or purchase additional Zebra printers to help ensure a smooth check-in experience.

Pro Tip: To help speed up registration and reduce lines, we recommend:

Creating a simple and streamlined check-in flow
Instructing registrants to have their QR code open and ready before approaching the check-in station
Having staff available to assist registrants as needed

Print Zebra Badges On-Site with the Check-In App