How do I align the print head on my product?

  • If your printouts contain misaligned vertical lines, or you see light or dark horizontal banding, you may need to align the print head.

    Note: Your printer must be connected directly to your computer (not over a network) to use the Print Head Alignment utility.

    1. Turn on the printer.
    2. Load plain, letter-size paper. Also have at least one sheet of Enhanced Matte Paper handy for the third alignment pattern.
    3. Windows:Right-click the printer icon on your taskbar (in the lower right corner of your screen) and select Print Head Alignment.

    Macintosh OS 8.6 to 9.x: Choose File > Page Setup or Print. Click the utility button, then click the Print Head Alignment button.

    Macintosh OS X: Open the Applications folder and select EPSON Printer Utility. Select SP 2200 in the printer list, click OK, and select Print Head Alignment.

    4. Follow the instructions on the screen to print a test page. You see this window:


    5. On the test page, select the pattern with the two vertical lines most precisely printed on top of each other. You may need to use a magnifying glass or loupe.


    Select one pattern each for rows 1 and 2. Then enter the number of the best pattern for each row in the corresponding boxes on the screen. Then click Next.
    If you can't find an aligned pattern, click Realignment to print another test page and repeat this step.

    6. Follow the instructions on the next screen to print the next test page. You see this window:


    7. On the test page, select the pattern with the least noticeable band of white or black between the two rectangles.


    Enter the number of the best pattern in the box on the screen.

    Note: The bands in your test print may not be as apparent as in the example shown above. This adjustment affects only high-speed printing on plain paper.

    8. If pattern 4 has the least noticeable band, click Next. Then go to step 9.
    If another pattern was better, click Realignment to print another test page, then repeat steps 7 through 9.
    9. You see this window:


    Remove the plain paper loaded in the printer and load one sheet of Enhanced Matte Paper.

    10. Click Print to print the first pattern on the next test page.
    11. After it prints, remove and reload the test page as shown, with pattern row no. 1 on the right.


    12. Click Print again to print the second test pattern.
    13. Repeat steps 12 and 13 to print the third test pattern. You see this screen:


    14. On the test page, select the least grainy box in each column.


    Select a box for columns 1, 2 and 3. Then enter the number of the best looking box in the corresponding boxes on the screen.

    15. If box 4 is the least grainy in all the rows, click Finish. If box 4 is the best in one or more rows, but you need to realign other rows, clear the checkbox for the rows with 4 selected and click Realignment. This prints another test page only for the rows left checked; repeat steps 10 through 15 to print it.
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