Before you start
- Load plain paper and check the tank windows for sufficient ink. Have room for several pattern sheets; the source’s exact number is not a universal requirement.
- For missing ink segments or colours, run a nozzle check first. Alignment does not unblock nozzles or replace a paper-type check.
Choose alignment for the symptom
- Vertical lines out of line or blurred print: use Vertical Alignment.
- Horizontal bands at regular intervals: use Horizontal Alignment after checking paper type and quality settings.
- Missing colour or broken nozzle-test segments: address that nozzle problem first, rather than assuming every line in a photo is misalignment.
The source performs both alignment modes. You do not need to repeat both as an unexplained routine when only one is relevant. Epson’s current manual defines their different purposes.
Step 1:Print the relevant alignment pattern
- Press Home, select Maintenance with the arrows and confirm OK. Open Print Head Alignment.
- Choose Vertical Alignment or Horizontal Alignment for the symptom. Read the paper prompt and press the indicated Start/print control.
- Wait for the pattern to finish. Keep it in its printed orientation so the numbered groups match the LCD prompts.
Step 2:For vertical alignment, choose each group from your own sheet
Follow the example shown on the LCD. In the source’s first stage, select the numbered pattern with the cleanest continuous line and no gap or dark join. Use the arrows to choose that number and confirm OK for the requested group.
Continue through every group and any additional pattern stage the printer asks for. The source next compares filled rectangular patterns, then another line-pattern pair. Choose the most even pattern matching the screen’s example; do not copy the presenter’s numbers or assume your printer will print exactly three sheets.
Finish the sequence until the printer confirms the alignment changes are complete. The numbers describe patterns in a test group, not separate printheads that can be diagnosed independently.
Step 3:For horizontal alignment, compare the rectangle joins
If horizontal alignment is needed, select it from Print Head Alignment and print its pattern. Choose the number whose rectangles meet most evenly without a gap or overlap. Use the arrows and OK to enter the choice, then confirm the final prompt.
The source chooses a number that looks best on its sheet. Your choice must come from your own output; using the video’s number would calibrate against the wrong print.
Step 4:Check a fresh print after saving
Print the affected photo or a short document again using the correct paper settings. Compare the lines and banding with the earlier output. The recording reaches the alignment-complete message but does not establish that every original image fault was repaired.
If missing segments remain, check the nozzles. If alignment does not improve otherwise complete but blurred lines, use Epson’s symptom-specific quality troubleshooting rather than repeatedly choosing random pattern numbers.
Questions & troubleshooting
Should I enter the same numbers as the video?
No. Each number must correspond to the best pattern on your own page. The video’s selections are examples from a different print.
Must I perform both alignments?
Choose the mode for the actual symptom. The source demonstrates both, but the manufacturer distinguishes blurred/misaligned vertical lines from regular horizontal bands.
Will alignment fix a missing colour?
Not by itself. Use a nozzle check to identify missing ink segments and follow the relevant cleaning procedure when indicated.
Why are there more or fewer pattern pages?
Follow your printer’s prompts and finish every requested group. The demonstrated sequence does not establish a fixed page count for every firmware layout.
