Fix poor copy quality on an Epson

01 · Identify — does this match what you see?

• Copies have lines or smudges the original doesn't have
• Copies too light or too dark
• A vertical line appears on every copy

02 · Resolve — follow in order

1. 1

   Lift the scanner lid and clean the glass with a soft, slightly damp cloth; dry it fully.

2. 2

   Clean the thin ADF scanner strip (the narrow glass next to the main bed) — a single speck here puts a line down every feeder copy.

3. 3

   Test a copy from the flatbed and one from the feeder to isolate which path is dirty.

4. 4

   Adjust copy density in the Copy settings menu if copies are consistently too light or dark.

5. 5

   If prints are also streaky, run a nozzle check — the issue may be printhead, not scanner.

03 · Applies to