The quality of a scanned image with Epson Scan is poor. What should I do?

  • If you are using Epson Scan, see the solutions below for your problem.

    Image Consists of a Few Dots Only
    • Make sure the document is placed on the scanner glass with the side to be scanned facing down.
    • When scanning with the Black&White setting in Home, Professional, or Office Mode, adjust the Threshold setting.
    Line of Dots Appears in All Scanned Images
    • If a dotted line appears in the image, clean the scanner glass with a soft, dry, lint-free cloth (paper towels are not recommended), or use a small amount of glass cleaner on a soft cloth, if necessary. Don't spray glass cleaner directly on the glass.
    Straight Lines in Image Appear Crooked
    • Make sure the document lies perfectly straight on the scanner glass.
    Image is Distorted or Blurry
    • Make sure the document lies flat on the scanner glass. Also make sure your document is not wrinkled or warped.
    • Make sure you do not move the document or the product while scanning.
    • Make sure the product is placed on a flat, stable surface.
    • Select Unsharp Mask in Epson Scan's Professional Mode.
    • Adjust the Auto Exposure setting in Epson Scan's Professional Mode.
    • Increase the Resolution setting in Epson Scan's Home, Office or Professional Mode.
    Image Colors are Patchy at the Edges

    If your document is very thick or warped at the edges, cover the edges with paper to block external light as you scan.

    Image is Too Dark
    • Adjust the Auto Exposure setting in Epson Scan's Professional Mode.
    • Check the Brightness setting in Epson Scan's Home, Office, or Professional Mode, or adjust brightness using the Histogram in Professional Mode (see Epson Scan Help).
    • Check the brightness and contrast settings of your computer monitor.
    Back of Original Image Appears in Scanned Image

    If your original is printed on thin paper, images on the back may be visible to the product and appear in your scanned image. Try scanning the original with a piece of black paper placed on the back of it.

    Ripple Patterns Appear in Image
    A rippled pattern (called a moir) may appear in a scanned image of a printed document. It is caused by interference from the differing pitches in the scanner's screen and the halftone screen in your original. To reduce this effect:Image Is Scanned Upside-Down

    In Home or Professional Mode, your product automatically detects the top of certain photos by analyzing the preview for human faces, the sky, or other orientation factors using Auto Photo Orientation. It then places the photos in the correct orientation in the scanned file. If your particular photo is not oriented correctly, you can turn off Auto Photo Orientation and try again.

    Click Configuration, click the Preview tab, and click the Auto Photo Orientation checkbox to turn it off.

    Image Colors Do Not Match Original Colors
    • Change the Image Type setting in Epson Scan's Home, Office or Professional Mode. Select different combinations of this setting and the others mentioned below.
    • Try selecting a different Tone Correction or Auto Exposure setting in Professional Mode.
    • Check the color matching and color management capabilities of your computer, display adapter, and software. Some computers can change the palette of colors on your screen. See your software and hardware manuals for details.
    • Printed colors can never exactly match the colors on your monitor because printers and monitors use different color systems: monitors use RGB (red, green, and blue) and printers typically use CMYK (cyan, magenta, yellow, and black).
    Scan Area Not Adjustable in Thumbnail Preview
    • Create a marquee or adjust the existing marquee to select the area you want to scan in Home or Professional Mode.
    • Switch to the Normal preview (if available) in Home or Professional Mode and preview your image again.
    Edges Are Cropped

    Make sure your original is positioned in the front right corner of the glass. Move your original away from the edges slightly.
Published:  Aug 18, 2010 Was this helpful?​ Thank you for the feedback!
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