Problems and Solutions

Tip:
It's a good idea to check Epson's support web site periodically for free updates to your printer driver. Visit http://support.epson.com. Download instructions are posted for your convenience.

The printer makes noise after ink cartridge installation.

The first time you install ink cartridges, the printer must charge its print head for a minute or so. Wait until charging finishes (the green

power light stops flashing) before you turn off the printer, or it may charge improperly and use excess ink the next time you turn it on.

If the printer stops moving or making noise, but the green power light is still flashing after 5 minutes, turn off the printer. If the light is still flashing when you turn it back on, contact Epson as described in Where To Get Help.

Turn off the printer, then make sure the ink cartridges are inserted completely and the ink cartridge cover is closed completely. Also make sure no packing material remains in the printer. Wait a moment, then turn the printer back on to clear the error.

You're having problems installing the printer software.

Make sure your printer is turned on and the cable is securely connected at both ends. Then carefully follow the installation instructions on the Start Here sheet. Also make sure your system meets the requirements listed in System Requirements.

Close your other programs, including any screen savers and virus protection software, and install the software again.

In Windows, make sure your printer is selected as the default printer and that the correct port is shown in the printer properties.

If you're using Windows 2000 and you see an error message or your software doesn't install correctly, you may not have software installation privileges. Contact your System Administrator.

If you're using Windows and the USB port, make sure your system was not upgraded from Windows 95. The USB Printer Device Driver may not install correctly.

Make sure the USB Controller is working properly in Device Manager. See your Windows help system for details. If it's not working, contact your computer manufacturer.

If you're printing over a network, see Setting Up Network Printing for instructions.

Printer Problems

Only the green

power light is on, but nothing prints.

Make sure the USB cable is connected securely at both ends and meets the system requirements.

Run a printer check. If the test page prints, make sure your software is installed correctly.

The printer sounds as though it is printing, but nothing prints.

Make sure the print head nozzles are not clogged. For instructions, see Checking the Print Head Nozzles.

The printer won't operate properly if it's tilted or at an angle. Place it on a flat, stable surface that extends beyond the printer base in all directions.

Your printer makes noise when you turn it on or after it has been sitting for awhile.

You don't see the

printer icon in the lower right corner of your screen (taskbar) in Windows.

Try restarting your computer. If you still don't see the icon, follow these steps:

Click Start, point to Settings or Printers and Faxes, then select Printers.

Right-click your printer and select Printing Preferences.

Click the Maintenance tab.

Click the Speed and Progress button, then click the Monitoring Preferences button.

Click the Shortcut Icon box. Then click OK to close the open windows.

Printing is too slow.

Make sure your system meets the requirements listed in System Requirements. If you're printing a high-resolution image, you need more than the minimum requirements listed. You may also need to:

Clear space on your hard drive or run a defragmentation utility.

Close programs that you're not using.

Increase your system's memory.

Choose black ink in your printer settings if your document doesn't include color.

For Windows, choose Draft for Quality Type.

For Macintosh, set the Quality/Speed slider to Speed.

If your printer is connected to a USB hub, disconnect unused USB devices.

Print Quality Problems

You see banding (light lines).

The print head nozzles may need cleaning.

Select a higher Quality Option or Print Quality and turn off High Speed mode. See Printing in Windows, or Printing in Macintosh OS X.

Make sure the paper Type or Media Type setting matches the paper you loaded; see Selecting the Correct Paper Type for guidelines.

Make sure the printable side of the paper is face up. It's usually brighter or whiter.

The ink cartridges may need replacing.

If you have a Macintosh, try using Automatic mode. See Printing in Macintosh OS X for instructions.

Run the Print Head Alignment utility.

Your printout is blurry or smeared.

Make sure your paper isn't damp or curled, or loaded face down (the printable side should be face up).

Use a support sheet with special paper, or try loading your paper one sheet at a time.

Make sure your paper meets the specifications listed in Paper.

Use Epson papers to ensure proper saturation and absorption of genuine Epson inks.

Align the print head.

Remove each sheet from the output tray as it is printed.

Avoid handling printouts on glossy paper for a few hours to allow the ink to set.

If ink smears on the back of a printout, clean the inside of the printer.

If you are using double-sided paper and printing heavily saturated or dark images on the front side of the paper, you may notice that smudges or marks appear on the front when you print the second side. If one side of the paper will contain a lighter image or text, print that side first to eliminate marks or smudging.

Load a new sheet of plain paper and press the

paper button to eject it. Do this several times. If you still have a problem, ink may have leaked inside the printer, and you need to clean it. See Cleaning the Printer for instructions.

Your printout is faint or has gaps.

The print head nozzles may need cleaning.

The ink cartridges may be old or low on ink. See Replacing an Ink Cartridge for details.

Make sure the paper Type or Media Type setting matches the paper you loaded. See Selecting the Correct Paper Type for guidelines.

Make sure your paper isn't damaged, old, dirty, or loaded face down. If it is, reload a new stack of paper with the printable side up; it is usually brighter or whiter than the other side. For best results, use genuine Epson paper.

You see wrong or missing colors.

Make sure your printer software is not set to use black ink only.

The print head nozzles may need cleaning.

The ink cartridges may be old or low on ink. See Replacing an Ink Cartridge for details.

Try turning off PhotoEnhance.

For Macintosh, try using Automatic mode.

Try changing the Gamma setting; see Customizing Windows Print Settings or Customizing Mac OS X Print Settings.

Your printed colors can never exactly match your on-screen colors. However, you can use a color management system to get as close as possible. Try using the ICM (Windows) or ColorSync (Macintosh) setting.

For best results, use genuine Epson ink and paper.

Your printout is grainy.

Make sure the printable side of the paper is face up. It's usually brighter or whiter.

Try using a higher quality paper or select a higher Quality Option or Print Quality setting. See Printing in Windows or Printing in Macintosh OS X.

Select Photo RPM for Quality Type (Windows) or Print Quality (Macintosh). Remember that this setting increases print time.

Run the Print Head Alignment utility.

You may need to increase the image resolution or print it in a smaller size; see your software documentation.

Paper Feeding Problems

Paper doesn't eject fully or is wrinkled.

If the paper doesn't eject fully, you may have set the wrong paper size. Press the

paper button to eject the paper, and then select the correct paper size.

If it's wrinkled when it ejects, the paper may be damp or too thin. See the Paper specifications.

Paper doesn't feed correctly or jams in the printer.

If paper doesn't feed, remove it from the sheet feeder. Reload it against the right edge, behind the tab, then slide the left edge guide against the paper.

If multiple pages feed at once, remove the paper from the sheet feeder, fan the edges to separate the sheets, then reload it.

If paper jams, press the

paper button for several seconds to clear the jam. If that doesn't work, open the cover and pull the paper out from the front, including small pieces that may have torn off. Reload the paper and press the

paper button.

Heavily saturated prints may curl, causing a paper jam when printing on both sides of the paper.

Use new, smooth, high-quality paper, loaded printable side up.

Fan the edges of the stack of paper to separate the sheets.

Don't load paper above the arrow mark inside the left edge guide.

Place the paper against the right edge behind the tab. Slide the left edge guide against it, but not too tightly.

If you're printing on both sides of the paper, try loading fewer sheets.

Miscellaneous Printout Problems

The image is inverted, as if viewed in a mirror.

Turn off the mirror setting in your application program.

For Windows, turn off Mirror Image in the Page Layout window of your printer driver.

For Macintosh, turn off Flip Horizontal in the Print Settings window.

The printer prints blank pages.

If you're using Windows, make sure your printer is selected. For Macintosh OS X, make sure your printer is selected in the Page Setup and Print windows.

The print head nozzles may need cleaning; see Checking the Print Head Nozzles for instructions.

The margins are incorrect.

Make sure the paper settings are correct for your paper size. For instructions, see Printing in Windows or Printing in Macintosh OS X.

Make sure the paper you loaded matches the paper size and paper type settings you selected in your printer software.

Choose the correct margins for your paper size.

If you're using Mac OS X, make sure you choose the same printer in the Page Setup window and the Print window.

Use the Print Preview option in your printer software to check your margins before you print.

Make sure your paper is positioned next to the right side of the feeder.

Output is not what you expect when printing borderless photos.

Make sure you are printing on papers that support borderless printing. See Loading Paper for Borderless Photos for details.

Use the expansion setting to adjust how the image fits on the page. See Printing Borderless Photos.

Don't choose a custom paper size setting when printing borderless photos.

Too many copies are printing.

Make sure that the Copies option in your printer software or program is not set for multiple copies.

You see incorrect characters.

Make sure the USB cable is securely connected and meets the system requirements. Then try printing again.

Make sure your printer is selected in Windows, or is set as the active printer in Print Center (Mac OS X).

If you're using a switch box or USB hub with your printer, connect the printer directly to your computer.

The image size/position is incorrect.

There are scratches on your print.

If you're printing on glossy paper, prints may be scratched if not handled properly. Don't place objects on top of your prints, and be careful not to scratch them with your fingernails. For best results, frame your prints under glass.