Wrong or missing colors on an EcoTank mean one ink is not reaching the page or the settings are off. Epson's printer problems page lists incorrect colors, blurry, grainy and faded prints as common issues to check on your model's page. Print a nozzle check and see which color has gaps, then clean the print head, and use Power Cleaning if most lines are missing.
The checks in more detail
Refill the ink tanks that are low and select the refilled colors when the LCD prompts you to reset ink levels: Epson says the product cannot measure ink directly, it estimates usage, so the alert is only accurate if you refill to the top and reset. If you filled the wrong tank, wrong colors follow; each bottle key fits its tank, and mixing colors means flushing with Epson's help. Check the driver settings: color must be on, the paper type must match, and the quality should be Text & Image or better.
Epson color settings can look different on plain and photo paper. Compare the print with the screen using the same file, and note that screens are brighter. Use genuine Epson ink, since third-party ink can change colors and cause errors. Run head alignment if colors look offset. On photo printers such as the SureColor P-series, use color management in the driver.
After refilling, print a color test page and file it, since a bad color later is much easier to diagnose when you have a known-good page to compare. Print the same photo at two quality settings on the correct paper; if the higher setting looks right, the printer is fine and the setting is the issue. Keep the bottle boxes so you can match colors to tanks, and never top up a tank from a different bottle than its own keyed color.
Differential
Likely causes of “Epson printers prints the wrong colors”, and how to tell them apart
- 1
A clogged color nozzle
What separates it One color is missing because a color nozzle is clogged
How to confirm Clean the head, and print a nozzle check to see the colors
- 2
A low color tank
What separates it The prints have the wrong hue because a color tank is running low
How to confirm Refill the tank and reset the ink levels, when the printer prompts you
- 3
A wrongly filled tank
What separates it The colors are off because a tank was filled with the wrong ink
How to confirm Contact Epson for a flush, since a wrongly filled tank needs a service
- 4
Wrong paper or color setting
What separates it The output looks dull because the paper or color setting is wrong
How to confirm Match the paper and color settings in the driver to the paper you loaded
- 5
Non-Epson ink
What separates it The colors are shifted because a non Epson ink is in use
How to confirm Use genuine Epson ink, and check whether the colors improve
Before you touch a setting
Record this first — changing settings destroys the evidence
- A nozzle check pattern that shows the color fault
- Which color looks wrong on the page
- The color settings that you chose in the driver
- Which tanks you refilled recently, and with which ink
Try in this order
0 of 6 completedPrint a nozzle check
ReversiblePrint a nozzle check, and find the color that is wrong or missing, and then test again to see whether it helped.
Refill and reset
ReversibleRefill the low colors, and reset the ink levels, when the printer asks you, and then test again to see whether it helped.
Check driver settings
ReversibleCheck the driver settings, making sure that color is on and the paper type is right.
Align the head
ReversibleAlign the head if the colors look offset, using the alignment routine, and then test again to see whether it helped.
Use genuine ink
ReversibleUse genuine ink if you are in doubt, since other inks can change the colors.
Compare with the file
ReversibleCompare with the file, since the screen and the print can look different, and then test again to see whether it helped.
Model-specific
What is true of this model and not of its siblings
- EcoTank
- EcoTank models use black plus three color inks; the ET-8550 uses six.
- SureColor
- The SureColor P700 uses ten pigment inks.
- 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-7840.
Stop boundary
When this stops being a self-service repair
- !If a color stays missing after Power Cleaning, contact Epson
- !If a wrong ink was poured in, contact Epson
- !If colors are right on the pattern but wrong in prints, check the file and settings
Evidence ledger
Sources behind this answer
Errors, Power Cleaning, Event Manager and maintenance box.
Refilling and resetting ink levels.
Head Cleaning, nozzle check and Power Cleaning.
Banding fixes.
The company and its products.
Exact questions
Common questions
Why must I reset ink levels?+
The printer estimates ink use, so you must reset the levels when you refill.
Can I mix colors?+
No, each bottle fits its tank.
Is the screen different?+
Yes, the screen is different from print, since screens use light and printers use ink.
What is Power Cleaning?+
A deep clean for missing lines.
Should I align?+
Align the head if the colors look offset, using the Maintenance menu.
What about photo models?+
For photo models, use color management, which matches screen colors to the print.