Epson Printer Streaks in Prints — How to Fix

What Does This Error Mean?

Horizontal lines or banding in Epson prints almost always come from partially clogged nozzles or a print head that needs alignment. A nozzle check will show which colours are affected. Running a cleaning cycle and a print head alignment usually clears streaks completely.

Affected Models

Epson EcoTank ET-2800
Epson EcoTank ET-4850
Epson WorkForce WF-2960
Epson Expression Home XP-4200
Epson Expression Photo XP-8700

Common Causes

One or more print head nozzles are partially clogged, skipping rows of ink on the page
The print head is misaligned so rows from different nozzle groups do not line up correctly
Low ink in one colour causes uneven ink flow and banding
The paper feed rollers are slipping slightly, causing uneven paper advance between print passes
The paper type setting does not match the loaded paper, affecting ink laydown consistency

How to Fix It

Print a nozzle check pattern from Epson Status Monitor > Maintenance > Print Head Nozzle Check.

Examine each coloured bar — any with gaps or breaks has clogged nozzles causing the streaks.
Run a Print Head Cleaning cycle targeting the affected colours.

After cleaning, print another nozzle check to see if the gaps have closed.
Run a Print Head Alignment from Maintenance > Print Head Alignment.

Misalignment causes banding that looks like streaks but does not show up as gaps in the nozzle check pattern.
Check ink levels and top up any low EcoTank reservoirs.

Very low ink causes inconsistent ink flow and banding even when the nozzles are not clogged.
Clean the paper feed rollers using Epson's built-in roller cleaning function (Maintenance > Paper Guide Cleaning) if the banding shifts unpredictably mid-page.

Dirty rollers cause uneven paper advance, which produces irregular banding across the print.

When to Call a Professional

Streaks that persist after multiple cleaning cycles and alignment suggest the print head nozzles may be permanently blocked or the head is worn. Epson service can perform deep ultrasonic cleaning or replace the print head. This is most cost-effective on EcoTank and Expression Photo models.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between streaks and banding?

Streaks are thin lines running across the page in one or two colours — usually caused by a clogged nozzle. Banding is a regular pattern of light and dark horizontal bars — usually caused by print head alignment or paper feed problems. Both are diagnosed and fixed the same way: nozzle check, cleaning, then alignment.

My prints look fine on screen but have streaks when printed — why?

Screen and print output are different processes. The screen shows the file as it should look; the printer output reveals nozzle or alignment issues that the screen cannot show. Run a nozzle check to see which colour channels are causing the streaks.

Streaks only appear when printing photos — is that normal?

Photo printing is more demanding than text printing — small nozzle problems that are invisible on text become obvious in photos. This is a sign that nozzles are partially (not fully) clogged. One or two cleaning cycles usually restore photo quality.