What’s thermal paper? and how does it work?

Updated on: May 13, 2026

Thermal paper is a specialty paper that changes color when subjected to heat without the use of traditional ink or ribbon. This effect is achieved by coating the paper with heat-sensitive dyes and developers during the manufacturing process. You can check this infographic to have a complete understanding of what thermal paper is and how it works.

A thermal print head consists of a multitude of miniature heating elements distributed along its printing width. It is commonly used to produce receipts in Point Of Sale (POS) printers, ATMs, cash registers and EFTPOS terminals.

What's thermal paper

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