If a shipping label is unreadable, the barcode or tracking number can't be scanned, which means the package effectively stops updating in the carrier's system until someone manually intervenes. This is one of the more frustrating shipping problems because, from the outside, it looks identical to a lost package — tracking simply stalls with no new scans.
The good news is that an unreadable label is almost always a physical or printing problem rather than a sign the package is missing. It hasn't vanished; it's sitting somewhere in the network waiting for a human to re-key the information by hand, which is naturally slower than an automated scan.
This guide walks through why labels become unreadable in the first place, what carriers actually do when they encounter one, how long the resulting delay tends to last, and what you can do to prevent it from happening again — or to speed up resolution if it's already happened to your package.
What It Means
A shipping label is essentially a barcode paired with a human-readable tracking number, and both need to be crisp enough for a scanner (or a person) to read accurately. When either is smudged, faded, torn, or distorted, the automated sorting equipment that carriers rely on can't process the package the normal way.
This is different from a label that hasn't been created correctly in the first place, where the barcode reads fine but points to the wrong shipment. With an unreadable label, the issue is purely physical — the barcode itself can't be decoded, regardless of what data it's supposed to contain.
It's also distinct from situations where a package can be delivered without ever being scanned at certain points — that's usually intentional or a minor process gap, whereas an unreadable label actively blocks the automated system from doing its job at all.
When a scanner fails to read a barcode, most modern sorting facilities have a secondary process: the package gets pulled aside for manual handling, where an employee tries to read the label by eye and enter the tracking number manually, or in worse cases, opens the package to check for a packing slip with contact and address details.
Why It Happens
1. Poor print quality. Home printers running low on toner or ink, or printing on the wrong label stock, often produce logos and barcodes clear enough for a human eye but too faint for a scanner's optical sensor.
2. Label placement on curved or textured surfaces. Applying a label over a seam, a bubble in the tape, or a curved edge of a box can distort the barcode lines just enough to make them unreadable by a laser or camera scanner.
3. Moisture, tape, or physical damage. Water exposure during transit, condensation, or shipping tape applied directly over the barcode (especially glossy tape) can cause glare or smearing that breaks the scan.
4. Thermal label fading. Labels printed via thermal printers (common for e-commerce sellers) can fade over time from heat or friction if the package sits for a while before shipping — echoing some of the same timing issues covered in how long a label can exist before shipment.
5. Printer or software errors. Sometimes the label prints correctly but at a scale or resolution the scanner can't handle, often due to printer driver settings rather than anything the shipper did wrong.
How Long It Lasts
Manual processing for an unreadable label typically adds anywhere from 1 to 5 extra business days to a shipment, depending on how busy the facility is and whether the package needs to be physically opened to find identifying information.
If the barcode is unreadable but the human-readable tracking number underneath is still legible, resolution is usually much faster — often within a day — since staff can simply key in the number manually rather than searching for other clues.
In rarer cases where both the barcode and the printed number are damaged, and there's no return address or packing slip inside, the package may be routed to a carrier's damaged or unidentified mail unit, which can take 1-2 weeks to resolve, similar to timelines seen in other lost or delayed package situations.
Should You Be Concerned?
Generally, no — an unreadable label is a processing hiccup, not evidence that a package is lost or stolen. The package itself is almost always still physically present in the carrier's network; it's the tracking data that's stuck, not the box.
That said, if tracking hasn't updated for more than a week and you've confirmed the label print quality was fine on your end, it's worth treating it more like a package that's stopped scanning entirely and reaching out proactively rather than waiting indefinitely.
If you're the recipient and a seller tells you the label may be unreadable, this isn't cause for panic — it typically just means your delivery date will land a few days later than originally estimated.
What You Can Do
If you're about to ship a package:
- Print labels at full resolution and avoid scaling them down to save paper — a label printed too small compresses the barcode lines together.
- Use matte, not glossy, tape over labels, and avoid taping directly across the barcode itself when possible.
- Apply the label to a flat section of the box, avoiding seams, corners, or curved surfaces.
- Keep a printed packing slip inside the box with the order number and address as a backup in case the label becomes unreadable.
If your label already looks damaged or faded:
- Print a duplicate label if your shipping platform allows it, and consider affixing both to different sides of the box for redundancy.
- Write the tracking number by hand near the label as an extra safeguard for manual processing.
If a package's tracking has already stalled:
- Check your account for any manual scan updates before contacting support, since these can lag a day or two behind physical handling.
- Contact the carrier directly if there's been no movement for over a week, providing your tracking number and shipment details so they can search manually.
When to Contact the Carrier
Reach out to the carrier if tracking hasn't updated for 5+ business days after a label was scanned as accepted, or if you suspect a label was damaged during transit and the package may need manual identification.
USPS: 1-800-275-8777 · UPS: 1-800-742-5877 · FedEx: 1-800-463-3339 · DHL: 1-800-225-5345