My printout is blurry or smeared. What should I do?

• Check the following:

  • Make sure your paper isn't damp or curled, or loaded face-down (the printable side should be face-down). It's usually brighter or whiter.
  • Make sure your paper meets the specifications.
  • Make sure the paper Type or Media Type setting matches the paper you loaded.
  • Use Epson papers to ensure proper saturation and absorption of genuine Epson inks. Also, make sure you're using genuine Epson ink cartridges.
  • 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.
  • Turn off High Speed mode in the Windows printer software.
  • 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. If you're copying a document or photo, increase the Dry Time in the printer's Paper and Copy Settings.
  • If ink smears when you print on envelopes or other thick paper, do the following:
    • Windows: Access your print settings, click the Maintenance tab, then click the Speed & Progress button. Select Skip Blank Page.
    • Mac OS X 10.4: Access your print settings and select Extension Setting from the print options pop-up menu. Select Skip Blank Page.
    • Mac OS X 10.5/6: Open the Print + Fax utility, click the Options + Supplies button, then click the Driver tab. Select Skip Blank Pages.
    When you're done printing on envelopes or thicker paper, be sure to turn off the setting.
  • To clean the rollers inside the product, try making several copies without placing a document on the scanner glass.