The print quality is uneven, too light, or too dark, or lines appear in the printout. What should I do?

• If you notice that your print quality is uneven, too light, too dark, or there are lines in the print (banding), try these solutions:

  • Run a nozzle check to see if any of the printhead nozzles are clogged. Then clean the printhead, if necessary.
  • If clogs are not cleared after cleaning the printhead three times, run a Power Cleaning. If the situation does not improve after running a Power Cleaning, clean the capping station and wiper, and then clean the printhead again. If you cleaned the printhead another three times and the situation has not improved, turn off the product and leave it off overnight or longer. When turned off for some time, the clogged ink may dissolve. Turn on the printer and check the results. If the print quality still has not improved, contact Epson Support.
  • Align the printhead.
  • Adjust the paper feed.
  • Make sure you are using genuine Epson ink packs. If you use non-Epson ink packs, printouts may be faint, or the color of the printed image may be uneven because the remaining ink level is not correctly detected.
  • Make sure your ink packs have not expired. For best results, use ink packs before the expiration date printed on the package (within one year of installation in the printer). Replace expired packs with new ones.
  • Shake the ink packs before installing them in the printer.
  • Make sure you selected the correct Media Type setting in the printer driver that matches the paper loaded in the printer.
  • Compare the print result with the image on your computer screen. Since monitors and printers produce colors differently, printed colors and screen colors do not always look the same.
  • Exposed paper may deteriorate depending on the temperature and humidity. Try cutting off the exposed part of the paper.
  • Make sure that the printer cover is closed during printing.
  • If you use the printer when dust has accumulated, dust may stick to the print result. Clean the paper input using the supplied cleaning sheets.
  • Check the ink levels on the LCD screen. Replace any packs that are low on ink. If there is a difference in color after replacing the ink pack, try cleaning the printhead a few times.
  • Enable color management in the software application or in the printer driver.
  • If you are printing on a poster, support the edges of the paper to prevent it from curving.
  • If you are using non-Epson media, make sure you create a custom paper configuration for the media.
  • If you have registered settings for non-Epson media, perform uni-directional printing. Follow the steps below to clear the checkbox for High Speed in the printer driver.
    • Windows: On the Main tab, select Quality from Level.
    • Mac: Select Print Settings from the list, and then select the Advanced Color Settings tab.
  • Check the quality setting that you selected in the printer driver. Using a faster printing method may decrease the overall print quality. Select Level options that prioritize quality over speed.
  • If Lateral Feed Adjustment is set to Off, print quality may decline.
  • If colors are uneven near the leading edge of the print, add a larger margin. In the print driver, you can also set Quality Options > Paper Edge Quality to Add Top Margin or Optimize Media Edge Print Quality.
  Related concepts
  
  • Print Head Nozzle Check
  • Print Head Cleaning
  • Print Head Alignment
  • Purchase Epson Ink and Maintenance Boxes
  Related tasks
  
  • Removing and Installing Ink Supply Units (Ink Packs)
  • Selecting Basic Print Settings - Windows
  • Selecting Basic Print Settings - Mac
  • Creating Custom Paper Settings Using the Control Panel
  • Cleaning Your Product
  Related reference
  
  • Print Quality Options - Windows
  • Color Management Options - Windows
  • Advanced Color Settings - Mac