ZPL printer control and configuration commands
ZPL commands to cancel and pause jobs, save or reset the configuration, set password, language, clock and serial port, and start ZBI.
Job control commands (~JA, ~JP, ~JX, ~PP) act on what is in the printer's buffer; configuration commands change the printer itself and most of them only survive a power cycle after ^JUS. The real-time clock commands set the clock that ^FC prints from. None of them changes the label image.
Commands on this page: ~JA · ~JP · ~JX · ^PP / ~PP · ~JR · ^JU · ^MP · ^KP · ^KL · ^KN · ^KD · ^SL · ^SO · ^ST · ~RO · ^JJ · ~PR · ~PM · ^JI · ~JI · ~JQ · ~KB · ~JF · ^SC
~JA — Cancel All
Syntax: ~JA · In Labelixa's preview: Printer setting — no visual effect
Cancels all formats in the buffer and any batch being printed; the current label finishes. Only data before the ~JA in the input buffer is deleted.
Zebra ZPL II Programming Guide (P1134473-11EN Rev A), page 251. Zebra guide page →
~JP — Pause and Cancel Format
Syntax: ~JP · In Labelixa's preview: Printer setting — no visual effect
Clears the format being processed (or the oldest one in the buffer) and pauses the printer — like CANCEL on the panel, without pausing first. Each further ~JP clears the next format.
Zebra ZPL II Programming Guide (P1134473-11EN Rev A), page 272. Zebra guide page →
~JX — Cancel Current Partially Input Format
Syntax: ~JX · In Labelixa's preview: Printer setting — no visual effect
Cancels a format that is still being received; formats already printing or sent later are not affected.
Zebra ZPL II Programming Guide (P1134473-11EN Rev A), page 280. Zebra guide page →
^PP / ~PP — Programmable Pause
Syntax: ^PP · ~PP · In Labelixa's preview: Printer setting — no visual effect
Pauses the printer like the PAUSE key: ~PP after the current label, ^PP after the current format (not immediate, so a few labels may still print). Resume with PAUSE or ~PS.
Zebra ZPL II Programming Guide (P1134473-11EN Rev A), page 323. Zebra guide page →
~JR — Power On Reset
Syntax: ~JR · In Labelixa's preview: Printer setting — no visual effect
Power-on reset: resets the printer software, runs the power-on self-test, clears the buffer and DRAM and resets communication parameters and defaults — like switching the printer off and on.
Zebra ZPL II Programming Guide (P1134473-11EN Rev A), page 274. Zebra guide page →
^JU — Configuration Update
Syntax: ^JUa · In Labelixa's preview: Printer setting — no visual effect
Saves or restores the configuration: S save current settings (used at power-on), R recall the last saved settings, F reload factory settings, N factory network settings, A both.
Zebra ZPL II Programming Guide (P1134473-11EN Rev A), page 278. Zebra guide page →
^MP — Mode Protection
Syntax: ^MPa · In Labelixa's preview: Printer setting — no visual effect
Locks control-panel functions, one per command: D darkness, P position, C calibration, W pause, F feed, X cancel, M menu changes, S no mode saves; E enables everything again.
Zebra ZPL II Programming Guide (P1134473-11EN Rev A), page 309. Zebra guide page →
^KP — Define Password
Syntax: ^KPa,b · In Labelixa's preview: Printer setting — no visual effect
Sets the four-digit control-panel password (0000–9999); b is a password level 1–4 on the S4M only. Does not work in Protected Mode.
Zebra ZPL II Programming Guide (P1134473-11EN Rev A), page 287. Zebra guide page →
^KL — Define Language
Syntax: ^KLa · In Labelixa's preview: Printer setting — no visual effect
Selects the control panel language: 1 English, 2 Spanish, 3 French, 4 German, 5 Italian … up to 20 Romanian; values from 14 only on some models.
Zebra ZPL II Programming Guide (P1134473-11EN Rev A), page 284. Zebra guide page →
^KN — Define Printer Name
Syntax: ^KNa,b · In Labelixa's preview: Printer setting — no visual effect
Sets the printer name (up to 16 characters) and description (up to 35) shown on the configuration label and web page; save with ^JUS.
Zebra ZPL II Programming Guide (P1134473-11EN Rev A), page 285. Zebra guide page →
^KD — Select Date and Time Format (for Real Time Clock)
Syntax: ^KDa · In Labelixa's preview: Printer setting — no visual effect
Chooses how the real-time clock date and time are displayed: 0 firmware version, 1 MM/DD/YY 24 h, 2 MM/DD/YY 12 h, 3 DD/MM/YY 24 h, 4 DD/MM/YY 12 h.
Zebra ZPL II Programming Guide (P1134473-11EN Rev A), page 283. Zebra guide page →
^SL — Set Mode and Language (for Real-Time Clock)
Syntax: ^SLa,b · In Labelixa's preview: Printer setting — no visual effect
Sets the clock mode — S time when formatting starts (^XA), T time when the label is queued, or a tolerance of 1–999 seconds — and the language of printed day and month names. Place it before the first ^FO.
Zebra ZPL II Programming Guide (P1134473-11EN Rev A), page 339. Zebra guide page →
^SO — Set Offset (for Real-Time Clock)
Syntax: ^SOa,b,c,d,e,f,g · In Labelixa's preview: Printer setting — no visual effect
Sets the offset of the secondary (2) or third (3) clock from the primary: months, days, years, hours, minutes and seconds, each −32000 to 32000. Printed with ^FC's second or third indicator.
Zebra ZPL II Programming Guide (P1134473-11EN Rev A), page 343. Zebra guide page →
^ST — Set Date and Time (for Real-Time Clock)
Syntax: ^STa,b,c,d,e,f,g · In Labelixa's preview: Printer setting — no visual effect
Sets the real-time clock: month, day, year (1998–2097), hour, minute, second, and A/P (a.m./p.m.) or M (24-hour, default).
Zebra ZPL II Programming Guide (P1134473-11EN Rev A), page 351. Zebra guide page →
~RO — Reset Advanced Counters
Syntax: ~ROc · In Labelixa's preview: Printer setting — no visual effect
Resets the advanced counters: 1 or 2 the user counters, 3 valid RFID labels, 4 voided RFID labels, C head cleaned, R head replaced and cleaned.
Zebra ZPL II Programming Guide (P1134473-11EN Rev A), page 330. Zebra guide page →
^JJ — Set Auxiliary Port
Syntax: ^JJa,b,c,d,e,f · In Labelixa's preview: Printer setting — no visual effect
Controls the auxiliary port for an online verifier or applicator: a off, reprint on error or maximum throughput; b how the End Print signal behaves; c pulse or level Start Print signal; further applicator options.
Zebra ZPL II Programming Guide (P1134473-11EN Rev A), page 266. Zebra guide page →
~PR — Applicator Reprint
Syntax: ~PR · In Labelixa's preview: Printer setting — no visual effect
If enabled, reprints the last label, like the applicator asserting its Reprint signal; PREVIOUS on the control panel does the same.
Zebra ZPL II Programming Guide (P1134473-11EN Rev A), page 325. Zebra guide page →
~PM — Decommissioning Mode
Syntax: ~PMa,b · In Labelixa's preview: Printer setting — no visual effect
Puts the printer into Decommissioning Mode: a is the printer's serial number, b 0–3 flash wipe passes. Accepted over USB only; it takes the printer out of Protected Mode. Not to be confused with ^PM (mirror image).
Zebra ZPL II Programming Guide (P1134473-11EN Rev A), page 320. Zebra guide page →
^JI — Start ZBI (Zebra BASIC Interpreter)
Syntax: ^JId:o.x,b,c,d · In Labelixa's preview: Printer setting — no visual effect
Starts the Zebra BASIC Interpreter (ZBI) and runs a stored .BAS or .BAE program, with console and echo on or off; firmware V60.16.2Z, V53.16.2Z or later.
Zebra ZPL II Programming Guide (P1134473-11EN Rev A), page 263. Zebra guide page →
~JI — Start ZBI (Zebra BASIC Interpreter)
Syntax: ~JI · In Labelixa's preview: Printer setting — no visual effect
Starts ZBI interactively: the printer answers with a ZBI header and version and then accepts ZBI commands. Only one interpreter can run at a time.
Zebra ZPL II Programming Guide (P1134473-11EN Rev A), page 265. Zebra guide page →
~JQ — Terminate Zebra BASIC Interpreter
Syntax: ~JQ · In Labelixa's preview: Printer setting — no visual effect
Ends a ZBI session; typing ZPL at the ZBI prompt does the same.
Zebra ZPL II Programming Guide (P1134473-11EN Rev A), page 273. Zebra guide page →
~KB — Kill Battery (Battery Discharge Mode)
Syntax: ~KB · In Labelixa's preview: Printer setting — no visual effect
Battery discharge mode for portable printers: drains the battery without printing; a print format or a key press ends it.
Zebra ZPL II Programming Guide (P1134473-11EN Rev A), page 282. Zebra guide page →
~JF — Set Battery Condition
Syntax: ~JFp · In Labelixa's preview: Printer setting — no visual effect
PA400/PT400: at the second low-battery level, Y pauses printing and N keeps printing — N is meant for the car battery adapter.
Zebra ZPL II Programming Guide (P1134473-11EN Rev A), page 257. Zebra guide page → Printers: PA400, PT400.
^SC — Set Serial Communications
Syntax: ^SCa,b,c,d,e,f · In Labelixa's preview: Printer setting — no visual effect
Sets the serial port: baud rate (110–115200), 7 or 8 data bits, parity N/E/O, 1 or 2 stop bits, handshake X/D/R/M and Zebra protocol A/N/Z. ^JUS keeps it across power cycles.
Zebra ZPL II Programming Guide (P1134473-11EN Rev A), page 332. Zebra guide page →
~PS · ^SZ · ^ID
ZPL commands list and reference →
Try ZPL in the online viewer
