How to Print a Label Directly Onto a CD

Avoid touching the surfaces immediately after printing.

Achieve the look of professionally duplicated discs by printing disc artwork directly on the surface of a CD. Although adhesive labels work with standard printers, the results will not be the same as professionally produced discs. Adhesive labels can be easily misaligned, can wrinkle or can fade over time. Fortunately, the cost of disc printers has become more affordable and CDs designed to work with disc printers are widely available. Using disc printers with ink-jet-compatible disc media will allow you to create full-color disc labels that rival professionally produced CDs and DVDs.

Things You'll Need

• On-disc ink-jet printer with USB cable, drivers and printing software
• Recordable CD media with ink-jet-printable surface

Instructions

1. Attach the disc printer to your computer using the supplied USB cable.

2. Install the printing software and drivers included with the printer on your computer. Install the printer ink cartridges, if necessary, by removing the cartridge cover and inserting the color and black ink cartridges.

3. Open a new print document using the disc printer software installed on your computer. Arrange text and images within the document template margins to produce the desired disc label.

4. Eject the print tray. Insert a printable CD into the tray with the surface to be printed facing up.

5. Select "Print" from the software menu. When the on-disc printing is complete, remove the disc from the tray.

Tips & Warnings

• Be sure to record your disc before printing the label. Because the recording process occasionally fails due to recording errors, recording discs first prevents wasting printer ink on discs that do not record properly.

• Disc-printing software may include clip art and other graphic elements. Use these resources to speed label design.

• Avoid touching the printed surface immediately after printing has completed. Printer ink may require a few minutes to dry thoroughly. Grasp only the disc edges to avoid smudging the ink.

References

• How to print labels directly on recordable CDs and DVDs