Abstract: There is provided a tape printing apparatus and method which is capable of printing characters on a heat shrink tape such that the characters are readily legible when the heat shrink tape undergoes heat shrinkage. From a keyboard, characters are input. A deformed font memory area stores a deformed font deformed from a normal font in view of heat shrinkage of a heat shrink tape which shrinks in at least one of a longitudinal direction and a lateral direction into a predetermined memorized shape when heat is applied thereto such that characters printed on the heat shrink tape by using the deformed font come to have respective shapes of the normal font when the heat shrink tape undergoes heat shrinkage. Based on the deformed font, the input characters are printed on the heat shrink tape.