Printing with a DYMO LabelManager PnP on Ubuntu 26.04

Getting an old DYMO LabelManager PnP working on Ubuntu 26.04 is possible, but the usual CUPS drivers and gLabels aren't ideal. After some experimentation, I found a working solution using Labelle, a native Linux application that communicates directly with the printer over USB.

Here's how to set it up, including a launcher that integrates with the Ubuntu desktop.

1. Install Labelle

Ubuntu 26.04 uses Python 3.14, which causes compatibility issues with some of Labelle's dependencies. The easiest workaround is to use uv, which can manage a separate Python version without modifying the system installation.

Install uv:

curl -LsSf https://astral.sh/uv/install.sh | sh
source ~/.bashrc

Install Labelle using Python 3.12:

uv tool install --python 3.12 labelle

You can now launch the application:

~/.local/bin/labelle-gui

2. Give Labelle access to the printer

The LabelManager PnP is accessed directly through USB, rather than through CUPS.

First, identify the printer:

lsusb

Look for a device with vendor ID 0922 (DYMO).

Create a udev rule:

sudo nano /etc/udev/rules.d/99-dymo.rules

Add:

SUBSYSTEM=="usb", ATTR{idVendor}=="0922", GROUP="lp", MODE="0660"

Add your user to the lp group:

sudo usermod -aG lp "$USER"

Reload the rules:

sudo udevadm control --reload-rules

Unplug and reconnect the printer, then log out and back in to activate the new group membership.

3. Release the USB printer driver

Linux's usblp kernel module can claim the printer's USB interface, preventing Labelle from accessing it.

Release it with:

sudo modprobe -r usblp

Launch Labelle again:

labelle-gui

The printer should now be accessible, and you can create and print labels.

Note: Rather than blacklisting usblp permanently, we'll unload it automatically when launching Labelle. This avoids disabling the module for other USB printers.

4. Create a desktop launcher

Let's make Labelle accessible from Ubuntu's application menu and dock.

First, create a small launch script:

mkdir -p ~/bin
nano ~/bin/dymo-labelle

Add:

#!/bin\sh
sudo -n /usr/sbin/modprobe -r usblp || exit 1
exec "$HOME/.local/bin/labelle-gui"

(Replace \ with / as this trips the WAF this website is hosted on)

Make it executable:

chmod +x ~/bin/dymo-labelle

Allow unloading usblp without a password

Create a dedicated sudoers file using visudo:

sudo visudo -f /etc/sudoers.d/dymo-labelle

Add the following, replacing sebastien with your Linux username:

sebastien ALL=(root) NOPASSWD: /usr/sbin/modprobe -r usblp

This grants passwordless access only to that specific command.

Create the application shortcut

mkdir -p ~/.local/share/applications
nano ~/.local/share/applications/dymo-labelle.desktop

Add, replacing sebastien with your username:

[Desktop Entry]
Type=Application
Name=DYMO Labelle
Comment=Print labels with DYMO LabelManager PnP
Exec=/home/sebastien/bin/dymo-labelle
Icon=printer
Terminal=false
Categories=Office;

Make it executable:

chmod +x ~/.local/share/applications/dymo-labelle.desktop

You can now search for DYMO Labelle in Ubuntu's application menu and pin it to your dock.

If an older launcher is still opening a terminal, remove it from Favorites and pin the updated application again.

Result

The DYMO LabelManager PnP now works on Ubuntu 26.04 with:

  • A graphical label editor
  • Direct USB printing, without CUPS
  • No Windows, Wine, or virtual machine
  • A one-click launcher in the Ubuntu dock
  • No need to unload usblp manually each time

An old but perfectly usable label printer gets a second life on modern Linux.