EPSON

Print Quality Problems

If you are having print quality problems, then compare it with the illustrations below. Click the caption under the illustration that best resembles your printout.

Horizontal banding

Make sure the printable side of the paper is face up in the sheet feeder.
Run the Head Cleaning utility to clear any clogged ink nozzles.
See Cleaning the Print Head
Try to use genuine Epson ink bottles.
Make sure the paper type selected in the printer driver is appropriate for the type of paper loaded in the printer.
See Selecting the Correct Paper Type

Vertical misalignment or banding

Make sure the printable side of the paper is face up in the sheet feeder.
Run the Head Cleaning utility to clear any clogged ink nozzles.
See Cleaning the Print Head
Run the Print Head Alignment utility.
See Aligning the Print Head
Clear the High Speed check box from the Advanced window in your printer driver (Windows). See the online help for details.
Make sure the paper type selected in the printer driver is appropriate for the type of paper loaded in the printer.
See Selecting the Correct Paper Type

Incorrect or missing colors

Make sure the initial ink charging is complete.
Make sure the transportation lock is in the unlocked position.
For Windows, clear the Grayscale from Print Options in the Main or Advanced window in your printer driver.
See the printer driver online help for details.
Adjust the color settings in your application or in your printer driver settings.
See the printer driver online help for details.
Run the Head Cleaning utility.
See Cleaning the Print Head
If you have not used the printer for a long time, run the power cleaning from the Head Cleaning utility of the printer driver.
See Using the Head Cleaning utility for Windows

Blurry or smeared printout

Use only paper recommended by Epson.
See Paper
Try to use genuine Epson ink bottles.
Make sure the printer is on a flat, stable surface that extends beyond the base in all directions. The printer will not operate properly if it is tilted.
Make sure your paper is not damaged, dirty, or too old.
Make sure your paper is dry and the printable side is facing up.
If the paper is curled toward the printable side, flatten it or curl it slightly in the opposite direction.
Make sure the paper type selected in the printer driver is appropriate for the type of paper loaded in the printer.
See Selecting the Correct Paper Type
Remove each sheet from the output tray as it is printed.
If you are printing on glossy media, place a support sheet (or a sheet of plain paper) beneath the stack, or load only one sheet at a time.
Do not touch or allow anything to come into contact with the printed side of paper with a shiny finish. To handle your printouts, follow the instructions of the paper.
Run the Head Cleaning utility.
See Cleaning the Print Head
If the paper is smeared with ink after printing, clean the interior of the printer.
See Cleaning the interior of the printer