Epson's banding article lists the fixes for white or dark lines, which also cover faded prints, in this order. Run a nozzle check to see if nozzles are clogged, then clean the print head if needed. Make sure the paper type setting matches the paper you loaded. Make sure the printable side of the paper is loaded correctly. Turn off any high speed settings in the printer software. Align the print head. Adjust the print quality in the software.
The checks in more detail
If bands persist after cleaning and aligning, finely tune the horizontal or vertical alignment in the Maintenance menu; if horizontal bands persist, adjust print quality for each paper type. When vertical banding appears or the paper is smeared, clean the paper path. You may need to refill the ink, so check the levels visually. If you have not used the product for a long time, run Power Cleaning, which consumes a lot of ink so use it only when cleaning has not helped.
Epson also says printouts that become too light or show bands may need nozzle cleaning, and to clean only when quality declines. Choose the Text & Image setting for quality in the driver, and turn off Maximum Printable Area if banding appears in the expanded margin. Use Epson paper for photos, and store paper flat. Keep ink above the lower line. Keep each nozzle check so you can compare before and after every step, and write the step on the page.
If two cleanings change nothing, stop and wait rather than repeating, since Epson says cleaning uses ink and a rest often helps. If the fault is only on one side of the page, note which side; a partial fault points at part of the head, and a fault across the whole width points at ink supply or paper. If the fault worsens through a print run, stop the job and run a nozzle check, since a head that clogs as it warms is easier to see mid-job than after.
Differential
Likely causes of “Epson printers prints faded, streaked, banded or with missing colors”, and how to tell them apart
- 1
Clogged nozzles
What separates it The printing is light or has bands because the nozzles are clogged
How to confirm Run a nozzle check, and clean the head if lines are missing
- 2
A misaligned head
What separates it The bands persist because the print head is misaligned
How to confirm Align the head, from the Maintenance menu, and print again
- 3
Wrong paper type setting
What separates it The prints look faded because the paper type setting is wrong
How to confirm Match the paper type setting to the paper that you loaded
- 4
A high speed setting
What separates it There are lines on the page because a high speed setting is switched on
How to confirm Turn the high speed setting off, in the printer software
- 5
Low ink
What separates it The output looks faded because the ink is running low
How to confirm Refill the tanks to the top line, and reset the ink levels
Before you touch a setting
Record this first — changing settings destroys the evidence
- A nozzle check pattern that shows the gaps
- The paper type setting that you chose in the driver
- When the printer was last used before the fault
Try in this order
0 of 7 completedRun a nozzle check
ReversibleRun a nozzle check, and find the gaps in the pattern, to see which nozzles are blocked.
Clean the head
ReversibleClean the head if needed, and then print another nozzle check, and then test again to see whether it helped.
Match paper type
ReversibleMatch the paper type and the printable side, so the printer uses the right settings.
Turn off high speed
ReversibleTurn off high speed in the software, since it can cause lines on the page.
Align the head
ReversibleAlign the head from the Maintenance menu, if the bands persist after cleaning, and then test again to see whether it helped.
Adjust per paper type
ReversibleAdjust the settings for each paper type, if bands remain after the other steps, and then test again to see whether it helped.
Refill ink
ReversibleRefill the ink if it is low, and reset the levels when the printer asks.
Model-specific
What is true of this model and not of its siblings
- Photo models
- The ET-8550 and SureColor P700 use photo inks and need matching paper settings.
- Tank models
- Check tank levels visually against the lower line.
- Other models this page answers
- These steps also fit models EcoTank ET-2850, EcoTank ET-3850, EcoTank Photo ET-8550, Expression Premium XP-7100, P700, WorkForce Pro WF-4830, WorkForce Pro WF-7840.
Stop boundary
When this stops being a self-service repair
- !If banding persists after alignment and per-paper adjustments, contact Epson
- !If nothing improves after Power Cleaning, contact Epson
- !If ink pads warn you, contact Epson, since they need replacing
Evidence ledger
Sources behind this answer
Banding fixes.
When to clean the nozzles.
Head Cleaning, nozzle check and Power Cleaning.
Refilling and resetting ink levels.
The company and its products.
Exact questions
Common questions
What causes banding?+
Banding is caused by clogged nozzles, misalignment or the wrong settings.
Should I clean often?+
No, do not clean often, and clean only when the quality declines.
What is a high speed setting?+
A driver option that can cause lines.
What does Power Cleaning do?+
A deep clean that uses a lot of ink.
Can smeared paper mean a dirty path?+
Yes, smeared paper can mean a dirty paper path, so clean the paper path.
What is Text & Image?+
Text and Image is a driver quality setting, which suits everyday documents.
Should I check ink?+
Yes, check the ink visually, by looking at the level in each tank.