Learn How To Use Mail Merge To Print Your Envelopes
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Watch our video to learn how to use Microsoft Word’s Mail Merge feature to print envelopes all at once instead of typing in your guests’ information and printing one at a time. We’ll show you how to create a template, enter addresses, set up the printer driver, and finally, print the envelopes.
For this example, we’ll use our popular Radiant White 6 a half inch square envelope. You can easily replace references to this envelope with your envelope dimensions.
Our software is Microsoft Office Word 2003 on a PC running Windows 7 and our printer is a recent model Epson inkjet.
Start Mail Merge:
Open Word with a blank document. Click Tools > Letters and Mailings > Mail Merge.
The Mail Merge workflow interface opens, guiding you through the rest of the process in 6 steps.
Step 1: Select a Document Type
You’re asked what type of document you’re working on.
Select Envelopes, then continue by clicking Next.
Step 2: Select a Starting Document
Step 2 asks “How do you want to set up your envelopes?” Choose Change document layout. Under that, click Envelope options.
A new window will open where you can choose from a list of common envelope sizes. 6 and a half square is not listed, but scroll down and click Custom, then type in the dimensions in inches. Click Ok a couple times.
Now we’re back to the document. You might have to change the zoom percentage to 100 or even less to see the entire square envelope template onscreen.
Click Next and proceed to step 3.
Step 3: Select Recipients
If you’ve already prepared a list of names and addresses in a database program like Excel, you can use that. Or you can enter all your recipients’ information within Mail Merge. We’ll show you both methods, starting with a database file that we’ve already populated.
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If your recipient information is already in a database:
Under “Select Recipients,” click Use an Existing List.Click Browse, navigate to the database file, and double click on it. Based on how the database file was set up, choose the appropriate options on the “Select Table box” and click OK.
A new window, “Mail Merge Recipients,” appears where you can verify the formatting and remove certain recipients. Click OK to move on. Then click Next.
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If you do not already have a database populated with guests’ names and addresses:
In Step 3, under “Select Recipients,” instead of choosing Use an Existing List, click Type a New List, then Create.
A “New Address List” window opens where you’ll type your recipients’ information, one recipient at a time. Enter the information exactly as you’d like it to appear on your envelopes.
Continue to create and populate new entries for as many recipients as needed. When all the recipients are entered, click Close. You’re prompted to save your recipients list so type a file name and click Save.
Once the recipients list is in order, click Next to move on.
Step 4: Arrange Your Envelope
In Step 4, you’ll actually lay out the recipient information on the envelope template.
Under “Arrange Your Envelopes,” click Address Block.
The address block is a placeholder for the names and addresses that you insert into the template.
The “Insert Address Block” window will open where you can tweak the way the information will be presented. Click OK to move on. The Address Block has been placed on the document template. Click Next to move on to step 5.
Step 5: Preview Your Envelopes
Immediately, the address block changes to actual recipient information.
This is the opportunity to convey the mood of the event on your envelope, which is the first correspondence your guests will receive about the event.
Change the font, font size, the vertical placement on the template. Finish by centering the address.
Take the time to scroll through the recipients to verify that all of the names and addresses fit nicely on the template. Once you’re satisfied, move on to step 6 by clicking Next.
Step 6: Complete the Merge
You’ve reached the final Mail Merge step, and you’re closer to printing your envelopes.
Click Print.
A “Merge to Printer” window appears.
This is the appropriate time to print one envelope, or even a sheet of copy paper that you’ve cut to 6 and a half square, as a test.
Click Current Record.
This prints just the record on the screen, not the entire recipients list.
Click OK.
A print window appears. Select your printer from the drop down list, then click Properties.
This brings up your printer’s driver where you can communicate to the printer that you are printing on a 6 and a half square envelope—not an 8 and a half x 11 sheet of copy paper. Every printer’s software will vary, so just poke around and try to find paper size, then the area to enter custom dimensions.
Enter 6.5 inches, 650 hundredths of an inch, or whatever unit the printer driver calls for.
Now that the printer is set to recognize the envelope size, you’re ready to print on a test sheet or envelope.
After printing the test, if the recipient’s address is properly positioned, go ahead and print the entire list.
We suggest that you load 20 envelopes into your printer at a time. When you print the first batch of 20, the printer will pause so you can load more.
Can you tell me how to set up the template for the 4UP Place Cards to use with Microsoft Mail Merge? Would love to pull the info from my excel list of names and addresses to also print place cards. Thanks
Sure thing! Please view the following tutorial on printing 4 Up Place Cards using mail merge:
Print 4Up Place Cards with Microsoft Word Mail Merge
How do you do it in Word2010?
I meant how do you do mail merge envelopes
Hi Jill,
The process is similar in Office 2010. In Word, start the wizard by clicking: Mailings > Start Mail Merge > Step by Step Mail Merge Wizard
You may also want to see step-by-step instructions using Word 2010 Mail Merge to print envelopes.
Once you feel comfortable with the process, check out our great selection of wedding envelopes!
Where is the video to show us how to put the return address on the back? I cannot find it. Thanks for your help
I would also like to know how to print the addresses on the back. If there is information on that I would love to see it! Thanks
Hi Nik,
To print an address on the back flap, just set your document to the dimensions of your envelopes, and type the address in .5 inches from the top, then run them through the printer as the instructions in this post indicate before or after you print the front addresses.
If you have the capability to rotate a text box and print envelopes open flap, you can print the address and return address at the same time, but only the most recent versions of Microsoft Word have this capability.
Hi Angela,
There is actually no need to use mail merge for printing the addresses on the back flap because the same address is typically printed on every envelope flap, and that is the return address of the person or couple sending the invites.
How do you print the return address on the back flap?
Hello Kala,
What envelope in particular are you looking to print on? The easiest way to print on the back flaps, is to use a template designed for the specific product you are working with. If we dont have a template available already, we would be glad to make one for you.
Hi,
I am using Office 2008 on Mac. Do you have a tutorial for using Mail Merge to print the address on the front and return address on the back flap of your 6.5 square envelopes? Thank you so much!
Hi Samantha,
Please view the following video tutorials for information on how to print envelopes using Microsoft Word Mail Merge:
Print Envelope Addresses Using Microsoft Word Mail Merge
How to Print Envelopes at Home-Step by Step Instructions
Any method to print return address on back envelope flap, except setting up envelope as a regular (sized) document and adjusting print placement? (after mail merge has printed primary address on front)
Thanks
dkp
Hi Dennis,
You are exactly right. To print the return address on a back flap, set up your document to the size of your envelope, and set the top margin to .5 inches. Next, type in your return address, center it, set it to the font and font size you prefer, and you’re good to go!
Is there a way to get the zip code on a separate line below the city and state? I already have it as a separate field. I’m using Office 2007.
Hi Holley,
As you probably noticed, when you are prompted to choose a document type in Word Mail Merge, you have a few choices – labels, envelopes, letters, etc. When you choose envelope, you only get the option to insert an address block as a whole, which does not allow you to change the location of your zip code.
A way around this is to set up a document that is the size of the envelope you are printing. Then, after you open mail merge, choose Letter as a document type instead of Envelope. This document type allows you to enter each field separately and place it where you want it, instead of entering a standard address block as a whole.
For more detailed instructions on using letter mail merge in Word for Windows 2007, please view the following PDF instructional guide:
Use Microsoft Word for Widows 2007 Mail Merge for Personalized Letters
Let us know if you have any questions!
I am using mail merge to address outgoing envelopes on a # 10 envelope with our return address already printed in the left hand corner. The next day I receive an updated mailing list which contains six new addresses. How do I add these addresses to the mailing merge list for envelopes that I created yesterday? I locate the existing list, open it, but cannot seem to add to it. Do I have to create a new short list and name it mailing II?
Hi Mary,
Yes, you could do a second round of just 6 addresses, or just start fresh with the new spreadsheet.