What is EPL?
EPL (Eltron Programming Language) is the command language of Eltron desktop label printers, now part of Zebra. Zebra models such as the LP2844 and early GK420 printers run EPL natively. EPL files are plain text, usually saved as .epl or .txt.
Example
Section titled “Example”NA50,50,0,4,1,1,N,"LabelZoom"B50,120,0,1,2,2,100,B,"12345678"P1EPL puts one command on each line, with coordinates in dots. N clears the image buffer, A draws text, B draws a barcode, and P1 prints one label.
EPL vs ZPL
Section titled “EPL vs ZPL”| Aspect | EPL | ZPL |
|---|---|---|
| Structure | One command per line | A stream of ^-prefixed commands |
| Printers | Older Eltron and Zebra desktop models | Current Zebra printers |
Modern Zebra desktop printers accept both, but new integrations should target ZPL.
Convert EPL files
Section titled “Convert EPL files”These free tools run in your browser:
- EPL viewer: see a label without a printer.
- EPL to PDF: get a printable PDF.
- EPL to ZPL: convert the label for a Zebra printer.
- PDF to EPL: create EPL from a PDF.
The LabelZoom API converts EPL to and from ZPL, PDF, and images. For example, POST /api/v2/convert/epl/to/zpl converts EPL to ZPL, and POST /api/v2/convert/pdf/to/epl creates EPL from a PDF. Save EPL output as bytes, not text; see Binary output.