---
id: python-escpos
version: "3.1"
license: MIT
license_treatment: permissive
maintenance: active
---

# python-escpos — Python library to manipulate ESC/POS Printers

License: permissive · Maintenance: active · Downloads: 109.1K/mo

## What it is and what it does

python-escpos is a Python wrapper around the ESC/POS command set defined by Epson, enabling applications to control thermal receipt printers commonly used in point-of-sale systems. It abstracts the low-level printer protocol, letting you send formatted text, images, barcodes, and QR codes to printers connected via USB, network, or serial interfaces. The library handles printer-specific variations automatically by consulting an external printer database to apply the correct settings for your device model.

The package depends on Pillow for image rendering, qrcode and python-barcode for code generation, and PyYAML and other utilities for configuration. It supports modern Python versions (3.8–3.12) and is actively maintained. Use it when you need to print receipts, labels, or vouchers from a Python application without manually constructing binary ESC/POS commands.

Use it for:

- Print receipts and transaction records from a point-of-sale application to a thermal printer.
- Generate and print barcodes or QR codes on labels or receipts for inventory or customer tracking.
- Control paper cutting, font styles, and text alignment on thermal printers from a Python backend.
- Integrate thermal printer output into a kitchen display or order management system.
- Send formatted text and images to network-connected or USB-attached receipt printers in retail or hospitality settings.

## Worth the install?

AI-flagged interpretation of the facts above — verify before relying.

Python library to send text, images, barcodes, and QR codes to ESC/POS thermal printers via USB, network, or serial connections.

Yes. The package is actively maintained, has no known vulnerabilities, installs with low friction, uses a permissive MIT license, and solves a real problem for applications that need to control ESC/POS printers. It is well-suited for point-of-sale, receipt printing, and label generation tasks. The main constraint is that you must have a compatible printer and know its connection details (USB IDs, network address, or serial port).

## Install

pip install python-escpos
uv add python-escpos
poetry add python-escpos

## Installing python-escpos

Before you install: Low friction install with a wheel distribution. Maintains active development (last commit 2026-08-04) and supports current Python versions (3.8–3.12). Nine runtime dependencies are all well-established libraries (Pillow, PyYAML, qrcode, python-barcode, etc.).

License in practice: MIT license (permissive) places no restrictions on use, modification, or distribution in proprietary or open-source projects.

Quickstart:

from escpos.printer import Usb
p = Usb(0x04b8, 0x0202, 0, profile="TM-T88III")
p.text("Hello World\n")
p.barcode('4006381333931', 'EAN13', 64, 2, '', '')
p.cut()

Requires a compatible ESC/POS printer connected via USB, network, or serial; printer vendor ID and product ID needed for USB connections.

Verify before relying:

- Whether pyusb and pyserial are optional or required for USB and serial printer support (not listed in runtime deps).
- Specific printer models and firmware versions confirmed to work with the automatic profile detection system.

## Package facts

- License: MIT (permissive)
- Python support: supports_current
- Install friction: low
- Maintenance: active
- Downloads: 109.1K/month (top 15,000 on PyPI)
- Known vulnerabilities: none known

## Tags

ESC/POS printer control, thermal receipt printer python, barcode qr code printing, point of sale printer library, USB serial network printer, pos-printing, thermal-printer, hardware-integration

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