Faint Printout or Printout Has Gaps | Epson XP-520 guide

•Avoid handling printouts on glossy paper right after printing to allow the ink to set.

•Turn off any high speed settings in your product software.

•If you print on both sides of a sheet of paper, smudges may appear on the reverse side of heavily saturated or dark images. If one side of a sheet will contain a lighter image or text, print that side first. Adjust the Print Density and/or Increased Ink Drying Time settings.

•Run a nozzle check to see if any of the print head nozzles are clogged. Then clean the print head, if necessary.

•Align the print head.

•Clean the paper path.

Note: Your product will not operate properly while tilted at an angle. Place it on a flat, stable surface that extends beyond the base of the product in all directions.

Parent topic: Solving Print Quality Problems

Related concepts

Print Head Nozzle Check

Print Head Cleaning

Related references

Paper Specifications

Related tasks

Selecting Basic Print Settings - Windows

Selecting Additional Layout and Print Options - Windows

Selecting Double-sided Printing Settings - Windows

Cleaning the Paper Path

Loading Paper

Faint Printout or Printout Has Gaps

If your printouts are faint or have gaps, try these solutions:

•Run a nozzle check to see if any of the print head nozzles are clogged. Then clean the print head, if necessary.

•The ink cartridges may be old or low on ink, and you may need to replace them.

•Make sure your paper is not damp, curled, old, or loaded incorrectly in your product.

234

Image 234

Epson XP-520 manual Faint Printout or Printout Has Gaps

Contents

XP-520 Users Guide Page Contents Copying Loading PaperPlacing Originals on the Product Printing from a Computer Scanning 100 Page Using Memory Cards With Your Product 164 Replacing Ink Cartridges 177 Adjusting Print Quality 191 Solving Problems 207204 Page Technical Specifications 247 256Page Page XP-520 Users Guide Using the Control Panel Control Panel Buttons and LightsParent topic Product Basics Using the LCD Screen Adjusting Control Panel Position Turning On Quiet ModeChanging LCD Screen Language Product Parts Locations Product Parts Front Parent topic Product Parts Locations Product Parts Inside Product Parts Back USB port Power Off and Sleep Timers Changing the Power Off Timer Setting from the Control Panel 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 Using the Epson iPrint Mobile App Epson Connect Solutions for Smartphones, Tablets, and MoreUsing Epson Email Print Related topics Using AirPrint Using Epson Remote Print Using Google Cloud Print Parent topic Product Basics Related tasks Setting Up Google Cloud Print on a Chromebook Click Add Device Wi-Fi Networking Wi-Fi Infrastructure Mode Setup Selecting Wireless Network Settings from the Control Panel Page Wi-Fi Direct Mode Setup Access point modePeer-to-peer mode Enabling Wi-Fi Direct Mode Page Wi-Fi Protected Setup WPS Using WPS to Connect to a Network Printing a Network Status Sheet Accessing the Web Config Utility Changing or Updating Network Connections Changing a USB Connection to a Wi-Fi Connection Connecting to a New Wi-Fi RouterDisabling Wi-Fi Features Parent topic Changing or Updating Network Connections Loading Paper Loading PaperPage Page Page Parent topic Loading Paper Related references Selecting the Paper Settings for Each Source Control Panel Parent topic Loading Paper Turning Off the Paper Setting Alert Paper Loading CapacityPaper type Load up to this many sheets Available Epson Papers Paper Type Size Part number Sheet count Borderless Paper Type Compatibility Borderless Paper TypesBorderless Paper Sizes Paper or Media Type Settings For this paper Select this paper Type or Media Type setting Parent topic Loading Paper Placing Originals on the Product Placing Originals on the Scanner Glass Parent topic Placing Originals on the Product Copying Copying Documents or Photos Parent topic Copying Related references Paper Type Settings Copying Paper Size Settings CopyingPaper type loaded Paper Type setting Copying Options Page Copying and Restoring Photos Parent topic Copying Related references Selecting Basic Print Settings Windows Printing with WindowsPage Related references Selecting Double-sided Printing Settings Windows Page Page Double-sided Printing Options Windows Binding Margin Options Print Density Adjustments WindowsBinding Edge Options Start Selecting Additional Layout and Print Options Windows Page Custom Color Correction Options Windows Color ControlsFix Photo Additional Settings Options Rotate 180º No Color AdjustmentImage Options and Additional Settings Windows Header/Footer Settings Windows Selecting a Printing Preset Windows Click the Main or More Options tab Parent topic Printing with Windows Selecting Extended Settings Windows Click the Extended Settings button Show Progress Meter Extended Settings WindowsEnable Epson Status Monitor Check Paper Width Before Printing Printing Your Document or Photo Windows Related tasks Selecting Default Print Settings Windows Checking Print Status Windows Changing the Language of the Printer Software Screens Changing Automatic Update Options Select Software Update Settings Printing with OS Selecting Basic Print Settings OS Page Page Related references Economy Print Quality Settings OSFast Economy Normal Selecting Page Setup Settings OS Selecting Print Layout Options OS Selecting Double-sided Printing Settings OS Double-sided Printing Options and Adjustments Mac OS Two-sided Printing Options Long-Edge binding Adjustments Print DensityManaging Color OS Short-Edge binding Color Matching Settings Epson Color Controls Color Matching and Color Options OSColorSync Selecting Printing Preferences OS Color Options Settings Manual SettingsOff No Color Adjustment Select Driver or Options Permit temporary black printing Quiet ModePrinting Preferences OS High Speed Printing Printing Your Document or Photo OS Establish bidirectional communicationChecking Print Status OS Cancelling Printing Using a Product Button OS X 10.6/10.7OS X 10.8/10.9 Starting a Scan Using the Product Control Panel Starting a ScanParent topic Scanning Related tasks 101 Scan to Memory Card Options JPG for photos Starting a Scan Using the Epson Scan Icon Changing Default Scan Button SettingsClick Make Job Settings 104 Starting a Scan from a Scanning Program Select your product You see an Epson Scan window like this Selecting Epson Scan Settings Scan Modes Selecting the Scan Mode Scanning in Full Auto Mode You see this window 110 Dust Removal Scanning in Home ModeAvailable Image Adjustments Full Auto Mode Color Restoration 112 Related concepts Selecting a Scan Area Home Mode 115 116 Available Image Adjustments Home Mode Descreening Text Enhancement Selecting a Scan Size Home ModeBacklight Correction Auto Area Segmentation 119 120 Scanning in Office Mode Selecting a Scan Area Office Mode 123 Available Image Adjustments Office Mode Unsharp Mask Scanning in Professional Mode Color Enhance 126 127 Bit Color Available Image Types Professional ModeSelecting a Scan Area Professional Mode Color Smoothing 129 130 Available Image Adjustments Professional Mode Tone Correction Histogram AdjustmentAuto Exposure Saturation Selecting a Scan Size Professional Mode 134 135 Thumbnail preview Scan Resolution GuidelinesImage Preview Guidelines Normal preview 137 Selecting Scan File Settings Jpeg *.jpg Available Scanned File Types and Optional SettingsFile Formats Bitmap *.bmp Multi-TIFF *.tif Scanning with OS X Using Image Capture 141 Available Scan Settings OS X Image Capture Scanning Special ProjectsImage Correction Scanning to Online Destinations Using Easy Photo Scan Scanning 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 Epson Jpeg File Settings Setting Description Image Quality Options Setting Description Encoding Epson Tiff and Multi-TIFF File SettingsEmbed ICC Profile Setting Description Byte Order Compression 160 161 Restoring Photo Colors as You Scan 163 Using Memory Cards With Your Product Inserting a Memory Card Memory Card File Specifications Memory Card TypesFile format Printing from a Memory Card Removing a Memory Card Viewing and Printing Photos Viewing and Printing Photos Print Setting Options Memory Card Expansion Standard Print settings Available Description Options Paper TypeQuality Draft Date Printing Photo Layouts From a Memory Card 171 Up, 4-up, 8-up, or 20-up Photo Layout OptionsPicture Package Upper ½ or Lower ½ Creating and Printing a Greeting Card Template Printing Photo Greeting CardsJewel Index Select Print Photo Greeting Card and press the OK button Printing a Greeting Card from a Template Transferring Photos on a Memory Card Transferring Photos from a Memory Card to Your Computer Check Cartridge Status Checking Cartridge Status on the LCD Screen Checking Cartridge Status with Windows 179 180 Checking Cartridge Status with OS Purchase Epson Ink Cartridges Ink Cartridge Part Numbers Removing and Installing Ink Cartridges Ink color Part number Standard-capacity High-capacity 184 185 186 Printing with Black Ink and Expended Color Cartridges Printing with Expended Color Cartridges Windows Printing with Expended Color Cartridges OS Select On as the Permit temporary black printing setting Conserving Low Black Ink with Windows Print Head Maintenance Checking the Nozzles Using the Product Control PanelPrint Head Nozzle Check 192 Print head is clean Print head needs cleaning Checking the Nozzles Using a Computer Utility 194 Print Head Cleaning Cleaning the Print Head Using the Product Control Panel Cleaning the Print Head Using a Computer Utility Select Head Cleaning Print head is clean Aligning the Print Head Using the Product Control Panel Print Head Alignment 200 Aligning the Print Head Using a Computer Utility Select Print Head Alignment Parent topic Print Head Alignment Cleaning the Paper Path Cleaning Your Product Transporting Your Product 205 Print Head Cleaning Print Head Alignment Solving Problems Checking for Software Updates LCD code Condition/solution Product Status Messages Your computer and follow the on-screen instructions Running a Product Check 211 Resetting Control Panel Defaults Solving Setup Problems Noise After Ink Installation Software Installation ProblemsControl Panel Setup Problems Solving Network Problems Product Cannot Connect to a Wireless Router or Access Point Network Software Cannot Find Product on a Network Product Does Not Appear in OS X Printer Window Cannot Print Over a Network Cannot Scan Over a Network Solving Copying Problems Paper Feeding Problems Solving Paper ProblemsProduct Makes Noise When It Sits for a While Product Makes Noise, But Nothing Copies Paper Jam Problems in the Paper Cassette Paper Jam Problems Inside the Product 222 Paper Jam Problems in the Auto Duplexer 224 Solving Problems Printing from a Computer Paper Ejection ProblemsNothing Prints Product Icon Does Not Appear in Windows Taskbar Error After Cartridge Replacement Printing is Slow Solving Page Layout and Content Problems Always Spool RAW Datatype Rendering Mode Print as Bitmap Inverted Image Too Many Copies PrintBlank Pages Print Incorrect Margins on Printout Border Appears on Borderless Prints Incorrect Characters Print Incorrect Image Size or Position Solving Print Quality Problems Slanted Printout White or Dark Lines in Printout Blurry or Smeared Printout Faint Printout or Printout Has Gaps Grainy Printout Incorrect Colors Solving Scanning Problems Scanning Software Does Not Operate CorrectlyCannot Start Epson Scan Solving Scanned Image Quality Problems Image Consists of a Few Dots Only Line of Dots Appears in All Scanned Images Image Colors are Patchy at the Edges Straight Lines in an Image Appear CrookedImage is Distorted or Blurry Image is Too Dark Ripple Patterns Appear in an Image Brightness Histogram AdjustmentBack of Original Image Appears in Scanned Image Scanned Image Colors Do Not Match Original Colors Solving Memory Card Problems Scan Area is Not Adjustable in Thumbnail PreviewScanned Image Edges are Cropped Memory Card Does Not Fit Into a Slot Cannot View or Print Photos from a Memory Card or DeviceCannot Transfer Photos To or From a Memory Card or Device When to Uninstall Your Product Software Uninstalling Product Software Windows Uninstalling Product Software OS Windows 8.x Select Epson Event Manager and click UninstallClick Uninstall Where to Get Help Purchase Supplies and AccessoriesInternet Support Speak to a Support Representative Technical Specifications Windows System Requirements Scanning Specifications OS X System Requirements Weight Paper SpecificationsPrintable Area Specifications Color depth Single sheets normal printing Single sheets borderless printing Color Ink Cartridge SpecificationsEnvelopes Cartridge life Memory Card Specifications TemperatureCompatible types/Maximum capacities Voltage requirements Dimension Specifications Electrical SpecificationsEnvironmental Specifications Interface Specifications Network Interface SpecificationsSafety and Approvals Specifications Canada General Product Safety Instructions 257 Ink Cartridge Safety Instructions Parent topic Notices FCC Compliance Statement LCD Screen Safety InstructionsWireless Connection Safety Instructions For United States Users Software Notice TrademarksFor Canadian Users Copyright Notice LibTIFF Software Acknowledgment Default Delay Times for Power Management for Epson Products Copyright Attribution