Print head will contact with thermal register paper roll in the process of printing, under the action of a series of changing, hot spots of thermal register paper roll will turn into black while other parts keep the same. Printing paper rolls so that come into being words or bar code. Thermal register paper roll is divided into kinds, one is with protective layer and the other is without protective layer. Protective layer is above the thermal layer for protecting thermal from chemical corrosion and pollution, it also can protect print head. For heat transfer paper, thermal register paper roll can print changeable words and pictures on the surface of printing stock without colored tape.

The printing cost of thermal register paper roll is lower than heat transfer paper, because of its low price, at the same time, it doesn't need any colored tapes. Thermal coating can be set with different colors and activation temperature to adapt different requirement of different printers. Its disadvantages are its instability and reversibility. That is to say, the information that is printed on the thermal paper roll is not clear enough.

Besides, the information on the thermal paper will be vague in the condition with strong light, chemical corrosion and dirty environment, although it is protected by thermal coating, storage life of thermal labels should not more than six months. Besides, abrasion of print head may be serious because thermal paper roll is contact with print head directly, its abrasion is more serious than heat transfer paper, especially for high-speed printer.