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Epson printer not printing?

An Epson that will not print, even with full ink, is usually blocked nozzles, a connection problem or a stuck job. A nozzle check tells the first from the others.

What is your Epson doing?

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What is your Epson doing?

Most likely causes

  1. Blocked print head nozzles

    Ink can dry in the nozzles, especially after a long time without printing. The ink level can read full while the nozzles are blocked.

  2. A connection or queue problem

    A dropped Wi-Fi link, the wrong port or a stuck job stops everything behind it.

  3. Low ink tanks or cartridge trouble

    Running cleaning cycles with ink below the lower limit line can harm the printer, and an unrecognized cartridge can stop printing.

  4. A driver problem

    A damaged or outdated driver can make every job fail even though the printer is fine.

What to try, in order

  1. 1Check ink and messagesRead any message on the printer, and check that every tank or cartridge is above its lower limit line. Remove only the protective tape the instructions mention.
  2. 2Run a nozzle checkPrint the built-in nozzle check, or ours at nozzle check. Gaps mean blocked nozzles. A complete pattern means the cause is the connection or the file.
  3. 3Clean once, then recheckIf there are gaps, run one Head Cleaning from the printer or the driver’s Maintenance tab and print the nozzle check again. See our print head cleaning guide.
  4. 4Fix the connection or reinstallClear the queue, restart the printer and computer, then remove and re-add the printer with the driver from Epson’s support site.

Cleaning cycles use ink, and Epson warns against running them with ink below the lower limit. Run one, check the result, and follow Epson’s guidance for your model on how many to run.

When to stop and replace

If the nozzle check still has gaps after the cleaning Epson recommends for your model and the ink is above the lower limit, contact Epson support. The print head may need service.

Inkjet or laser?

Inkjet printers

Epson inkjets, including EcoTank models, are prone to dried ink after long idle periods. A nozzle check shows each ink on its own, so you can see which colors are blocked.

Print a nozzle check

Laser printers

Epson laser printers have no nozzles. If one will not print, check the display for a toner or drum message, then follow the connection steps on this page.

Check other printer problems

Full ink does not mean working nozzles

The ink level shown by an Epson printer tells you how much ink is left, not whether the print head can use it. After a long break, ink can dry in the nozzles and the printer will print blank or faint pages while the level reads full. A nozzle check separates the two cases, which is why it comes first.

Read the nozzle check

Print the built-in pattern or our nozzle check. Every line complete means the nozzles are fine and the cause is elsewhere. Gaps mean blocked nozzles in that ink. Our guide to reading a nozzle check shows what each result means.

Clean carefully

Epson’s documentation says to clean the head and then print the nozzle check again, repeating only if the gaps shrink, and to keep ink above the lower limit line while cleaning. Our print head cleaning guide explains the order. If only black is missing, see black ink not printing.

If the pattern is complete

Then the problem is the connection or the queue. Clear the queue, check the network and re-add the printer. For the steps to print an Epson test page, see our Epson guide, or browse all printer problems.

Good questions

Why is my Epson printer not printing when the ink is full?
A full ink level does not mean the nozzles are clear. Run a nozzle check: gaps in the pattern point to blocked nozzles, and a complete pattern points to the connection, the queue or the file.
Why is my Epson EcoTank not printing?
Check that every tank is above its lower limit line, then run a nozzle check. If there are gaps, run one head cleaning and check again. If the pattern is complete, check the connection and queue.
How do I run an Epson nozzle check?
From the printer’s panel, load plain paper and open Setup, then Maintenance, then Print Head Nozzle Check. Menus vary by model. See our Epson guide.
Why does my Epson print by USB but not over Wi-Fi?
The printer and computer may be on different networks, or the printer may have been added with the wrong connection. Restart the router, printer and computer, then remove and re-add the printer.
How many head cleanings can I run?
Follow your Epson manual for your model. Run one cycle, print a nozzle check and repeat only if the gaps are getting smaller, and never with ink below the lower limit.

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