Print Head Alignment | Epson XP-520 guide

Print head needs cleaning

•If there are no gaps, click Finish.

•If there are gaps or the pattern is faint, click Clean to clean the print head again.

If you don’t see any improvement after cleaning the print head up to 2 times, turn off the product and wait at least 6 hours. Then check the print head nozzles and try cleaning the print head again, if necessary. If quality still does not improve, one of the ink cartridges may be old or damaged and needs to be replaced.

Parent topic: Print Head Cleaning

Related tasks

Loading Paper

Checking the Nozzles Using a Computer Utility

Removing and Installing Ink Cartridges

Print Head Alignment

If your printouts become grainy or blurry, you notice misalignment of vertical lines, or you see dark or light horizontal bands, you may need to align the print head.

Note: Banding may also occur if your print head nozzles need cleaning.

Aligning the Print Head Using the Product Control Panel

Aligning the Print Head Using a Computer Utility

Parent topic: Adjusting Print Quality

Aligning the Print Head Using the Product Control Panel

You can align the print head using the control panel on your product.

1.Load a few sheets of plain paper in the product.

2.Press the home button, if necessary.

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Epson XP-520 manual Print Head Alignment, Aligning the Print Head Using the Product Control Panel

Contents

XP-520 Users Guide Page Contents Printing from a Computer Loading PaperPlacing Originals on the Product Copying Scanning 100 Page Replacing Ink Cartridges 177 Using Memory Cards With Your Product 164 Solving Problems 207 Adjusting Print Quality 191204 Page 256 Technical Specifications 247Page Page XP-520 Users Guide Control Panel Buttons and Lights Using the Control PanelParent topic Product Basics Using the LCD Screen Turning On Quiet Mode Adjusting Control Panel PositionChanging LCD Screen Language Product Parts Front Product Parts Locations Parent topic Product Parts Locations Product Parts Inside USB port Product Parts Back Changing the Power Off Timer Setting from the Control Panel Power Off and Sleep Timers Changing the Sleep Timer Setting from the Control Panel Changing the Power and Sleep Timer Settings Windows Select Printer Settings Changing the Power and Sleep Timer Settings OS Related topics Epson Connect Solutions for Smartphones, Tablets, and MoreUsing Epson Email Print Using the Epson iPrint Mobile App Using Epson Remote Print Using AirPrint Parent topic Product Basics Related tasks Using Google Cloud Print Setting Up Google Cloud Print on a Chromebook Click Add Device Wi-Fi Infrastructure Mode Setup Wi-Fi Networking Selecting Wireless Network Settings from the Control Panel Page Access point mode Wi-Fi Direct Mode SetupPeer-to-peer mode Enabling Wi-Fi Direct Mode Page Using WPS to Connect to a Network Wi-Fi Protected Setup WPS Printing a Network Status Sheet Changing or Updating Network Connections Accessing the Web Config Utility Connecting to a New Wi-Fi Router Changing a USB Connection to a Wi-Fi ConnectionDisabling Wi-Fi Features Parent topic Changing or Updating Network Connections Loading Paper Loading PaperPage Page Page Parent topic Loading Paper Related references Parent topic Loading Paper Selecting the Paper Settings for Each Source Control Panel Paper Loading Capacity Turning Off the Paper Setting AlertPaper type Load up to this many sheets Available Epson Papers Paper Type Size Part number Sheet count Borderless Paper Types Borderless Paper Type CompatibilityBorderless Paper Sizes For this paper Select this paper Type or Media Type setting Paper or Media Type Settings Parent topic Loading Paper Placing Originals on the Scanner Glass Placing Originals on the Product Parent topic Placing Originals on the Product Copying Documents or Photos Copying Parent topic Copying Related references Paper Size Settings Copying Paper Type Settings CopyingPaper type loaded Paper Type setting Copying Options Page Copying and Restoring Photos Parent topic Copying Related references Printing with Windows Selecting Basic Print Settings WindowsPage Related references Selecting Double-sided Printing Settings Windows Page Page Double-sided Printing Options Windows Start Print Density Adjustments WindowsBinding Edge Options Binding Margin Options Selecting Additional Layout and Print Options Windows Page Color Controls Custom Color Correction Options WindowsFix Photo Header/Footer Settings Windows No Color AdjustmentImage Options and Additional Settings Windows Additional Settings Options Rotate 180º Click the Main or More Options tab Selecting a Printing Preset Windows Parent topic Printing with Windows Click the Extended Settings button Selecting Extended Settings Windows Check Paper Width Before Printing Extended Settings WindowsEnable Epson Status Monitor Show Progress Meter Printing Your Document or Photo Windows Related tasks Checking Print Status Windows Selecting Default Print Settings Windows Changing the Language of the Printer Software Screens Select Software Update Settings Changing Automatic Update Options Printing with OS Selecting Basic Print Settings OS Page Page Related references Normal Print Quality Settings OSFast Economy Economy Selecting Page Setup Settings OS Selecting Print Layout Options OS Selecting Double-sided Printing Settings OS Double-sided Printing Options and Adjustments Mac OS Short-Edge binding Adjustments Print DensityManaging Color OS Two-sided Printing Options Long-Edge binding Color Matching and Color Options OS Color Matching Settings Epson Color ControlsColorSync Select Driver or Options Color Options Settings Manual SettingsOff No Color Adjustment Selecting Printing Preferences OS High Speed Printing Quiet ModePrinting Preferences OS Permit temporary black printing Establish bidirectional communication Printing Your Document or Photo OSChecking Print Status OS OS X 10.6/10.7 Cancelling Printing Using a Product ButtonOS X 10.8/10.9 Starting a Scan Starting a Scan Using the Product Control PanelParent topic Scanning Related tasks 101 JPG for photos Scan to Memory Card Options Changing Default Scan Button Settings Starting a Scan Using the Epson Scan IconClick Make Job Settings 104 Starting a Scan from a Scanning Program Select your product You see an Epson Scan window like this Scan Modes Selecting Epson Scan Settings Scanning in Full Auto Mode Selecting the Scan Mode You see this window 110 Color Restoration Scanning in Home ModeAvailable Image Adjustments Full Auto Mode Dust Removal 112 Related concepts Selecting a Scan Area Home Mode 115 116 Descreening Available Image Adjustments Home Mode Auto Area Segmentation Selecting a Scan Size Home ModeBacklight Correction Text Enhancement 119 120 Scanning in Office Mode Selecting a Scan Area Office Mode 123 Unsharp Mask Available Image Adjustments Office Mode Color Enhance Scanning in Professional Mode 126 127 Color Smoothing Available Image Types Professional ModeSelecting a Scan Area Professional Mode Bit Color 129 130 Available Image Adjustments Professional Mode Saturation Histogram AdjustmentAuto Exposure Tone Correction Selecting a Scan Size Professional Mode 134 135 Normal preview Scan Resolution GuidelinesImage Preview Guidelines Thumbnail preview 137 Selecting Scan File Settings Multi-TIFF *.tif Available Scanned File Types and Optional SettingsFile Formats Bitmap *.bmp Jpeg *.jpg Scanning with OS X Using Image Capture 141 Scanning Special Projects Available Scan Settings OS X Image CaptureImage Correction Scanning Using Easy Photo Scan Scanning to Online Destinations Using Easy Photo Scan 144 Uploading Scanned Images to Facebook 146 Uploading Scanned Images to Picasa 148 Uploading Scanned Images to Evernote 150 Uploading Scanned Images to SugarSync 152 Uploading Scanned Images to a Web Folder 154 Uploading Scanned Images to Email Saving Scanned Images to a Folder Setting Description Image Quality Options Epson Jpeg File Settings Epson Tiff and Multi-TIFF File Settings Setting Description EncodingEmbed ICC Profile Compression Setting Description Byte Order 160 161 Restoring Photo Colors as You Scan 163 Inserting a Memory Card Using Memory Cards With Your Product Memory Card Types Memory Card File SpecificationsFile format Removing a Memory Card Printing from a Memory Card Viewing and Printing Photos Viewing and Printing Photos Print Setting Options Memory Card Date Print settings Available Description Options Paper TypeQuality Draft Expansion Standard Printing Photo Layouts From a Memory Card 171 Upper ½ or Lower ½ Photo Layout OptionsPicture Package Up, 4-up, 8-up, or 20-up Select Print Photo Greeting Card and press the OK button Printing Photo Greeting CardsJewel Index Creating and Printing a Greeting Card Template Printing a Greeting Card from a Template Transferring Photos on a Memory Card Transferring Photos from a Memory Card to Your Computer Checking Cartridge Status on the LCD Screen Check Cartridge Status Checking Cartridge Status with Windows 179 180 Checking Cartridge Status with OS Ink Cartridge Part Numbers Purchase Epson Ink Cartridges Ink color Part number Standard-capacity High-capacity Removing and Installing Ink Cartridges 184 185 186 Printing with Black Ink and Expended Color Cartridges Printing with Expended Color Cartridges OS Printing with Expended Color Cartridges Windows Select On as the Permit temporary black printing setting Conserving Low Black Ink with Windows Checking the Nozzles Using the Product Control Panel Print Head MaintenancePrint Head Nozzle Check 192 Checking the Nozzles Using a Computer Utility Print head is clean Print head needs cleaning 194 Print Head Cleaning Cleaning the Print Head Using the Product Control Panel Select Head Cleaning Cleaning the Print Head Using a Computer Utility Print head is clean Print Head Alignment Aligning the Print Head Using the Product Control Panel 200 Select Print Head Alignment Aligning the Print Head Using a Computer Utility Parent topic Print Head Alignment Cleaning the Paper Path Transporting Your Product Cleaning Your Product 205 Print Head Cleaning Print Head Alignment Checking for Software Updates Solving Problems Product Status Messages LCD code Condition/solution Your computer and follow the on-screen instructions Running a Product Check 211 Solving Setup Problems Resetting Control Panel Defaults Software Installation Problems Noise After Ink InstallationControl Panel Setup Problems Product Cannot Connect to a Wireless Router or Access Point Solving Network Problems Network Software Cannot Find Product on a Network Cannot Print Over a Network Product Does Not Appear in OS X Printer Window Cannot Scan Over a Network Solving Copying Problems Product Makes Noise, But Nothing Copies Solving Paper ProblemsProduct Makes Noise When It Sits for a While Paper Feeding Problems Paper Jam Problems in the Paper Cassette Paper Jam Problems Inside the Product 222 Paper Jam Problems in the Auto Duplexer 224 Paper Ejection Problems Solving Problems Printing from a ComputerNothing Prints Product Icon Does Not Appear in Windows Taskbar Printing is Slow Error After Cartridge Replacement Always Spool RAW Datatype Rendering Mode Print as Bitmap Solving Page Layout and Content Problems Too Many Copies Print Inverted ImageBlank Pages Print Border Appears on Borderless Prints Incorrect Margins on Printout Incorrect Image Size or Position Incorrect Characters Print Slanted Printout Solving Print Quality Problems Blurry or Smeared Printout White or Dark Lines in Printout Faint Printout or Printout Has Gaps Grainy Printout Incorrect Colors Scanning Software Does Not Operate Correctly Solving Scanning ProblemsCannot Start Epson Scan Solving Scanned Image Quality Problems Line of Dots Appears in All Scanned Images Image Consists of a Few Dots Only Image is Too Dark Straight Lines in an Image Appear CrookedImage is Distorted or Blurry Image Colors are Patchy at the Edges Scanned Image Colors Do Not Match Original Colors Brightness Histogram AdjustmentBack of Original Image Appears in Scanned Image Ripple Patterns Appear in an Image Scan Area is Not Adjustable in Thumbnail Preview Solving Memory Card ProblemsScanned Image Edges are Cropped Cannot View or Print Photos from a Memory Card or Device Memory Card Does Not Fit Into a SlotCannot Transfer Photos To or From a Memory Card or Device Uninstalling Product Software Windows When to Uninstall Your Product Software Windows 8.x Select Epson Event Manager and click Uninstall Uninstalling Product Software OSClick Uninstall Purchase Supplies and Accessories Where to Get HelpInternet Support Speak to a Support Representative Windows System Requirements Technical Specifications OS X System Requirements Scanning Specifications Color depth Paper SpecificationsPrintable Area Specifications Weight Single sheets borderless printing Single sheets normal printing Cartridge life Ink Cartridge SpecificationsEnvelopes Color Temperature Memory Card SpecificationsCompatible types/Maximum capacities Voltage requirements Electrical Specifications Dimension SpecificationsEnvironmental Specifications Network Interface Specifications Interface SpecificationsSafety and Approvals Specifications Canada General Product Safety Instructions 257 Parent topic Notices Ink Cartridge Safety Instructions For United States Users LCD Screen Safety InstructionsWireless Connection Safety Instructions FCC Compliance Statement Trademarks Software NoticeFor Canadian Users LibTIFF Software Acknowledgment Copyright Notice Copyright Attribution Default Delay Times for Power Management for Epson Products