Epson Printer Not Working? Step-by-Step Help

Epson Printer Not Working? Step-by-Step Help

Use the index below to find your symptom and jump to the relevant section. If you can’t find what you’re looking for, use Ctrl+F (or Cmd+F on Mac) to search for the exact error message you’re seeing.


If you’ve worked through the relevant steps and the issue persists, email logistics@pheedloop.com with a description of the problem and any photos of error messages or misprints.


Looking for Zebra printer help? See Zebra Printer Not Working? Step-by-Step Help.


Good to know before you start


Epson printers always appear Offline in the Event Dashboard. This is expected behaviour — not a bug. The Dashboard does not display Epson printer status. Use the printer’s own screen to verify its connection. See Epson showing Offline in the Dashboard below for details.


Contents

iPad errors

Connection issues

Print quality issues

Maintenance



iPad errors

“The Printer is Offline” error on the iPad


This error means the OnSite app can’t reach the printer. Work through the following checks:


  • Check that the iPad and printer are on the same network. Both must be connected to the same network — typically the PheedLoop Print network provided in the Epson Kiosk Router Kit. The Epson can connect via Ethernet or Wi-Fi; the iPad connects via Wi-Fi.
  • Verify Local Network permission is enabled on the iPad. Navigate to the iPad’s Settings app, scroll down to PheedLoop OnSite, and confirm the Local Network toggle is on. Restart the app after enabling it.
  • Check the printer’s connection directly on its screen. Navigate to Menu > General Settings > Network Settings > Connection Check. If the connection check fails, verify the Ethernet cable is seated properly and then restart it. The cord must be connected at the time of the printer turning on.
  • Refresh the OnSite app. From the home screen, select the refresh icon (top right), or close and reopen the app.

If the printer still won’t connect after these checks, see Printer not showing up in the available printers list below, or contact logistics@pheedloop.com.



“The Attendee is Not Permitted to Print this Template” error on the iPad


This error means the printer is assigned a template with a Connected Tag, but the attendee doesn’t have that tag. There are three ways to fix this depending on what your team wants.


Option A — Add the required tag to the attendee

  1. Navigate to Attendees > Attendees and select the attendee
  2. Scroll to Tags and select the tag that matches the template’s Connected Tag
  3. Select Save Changes, then refresh the OnSite app and retry the print

Option B — Create a default template with no Connected Tags

Any attendee without a matching tag will automatically print on a template that has no Connected Tags assigned. If you don’t already have one, create it:

  1. Navigate to OnSite > Badges & Printers > Badge Label Designer
  2. Above the table, select Create New
  3. Enter a Name, leave Connected Tags blank, and select Epson Colorworks Badge as the Default Template
  4. Select Create, then design and save the template

Option C — Remove the template restriction from the printer

  1. Navigate to OnSite > Badges & Printers > Badge Printers and select the printer
  2. Under Templates, remove all assigned templates
  3. Select Save Changes


Connection issues

Printer not showing up in the available printers list


Work through these checks in order.


1. Check Local Network permission on the iPad

This is the most common cause. PheedLoop OnSite must have Local Network permission to detect Epson printers on the same network.

  1. On the iPad, open the Settings app
  2. Scroll down on the left side and select PheedLoop OnSite
  3. Confirm the Local Network toggle is enabled
  4. Restart or refresh the app for the change to take effect


2. Confirm the iPad and printer are on the same network

Both devices must be on the same network. Connect the iPads to the PheedLoop Print network provided in the Epson Kiosk Router Kit and ensure the venue ethernet drop is plugged into the Blue port of the router.


3. Verify the printer has a working internet connection

  1. On the Epson printer, navigate to Menu using the directional arrows
  2. Select General Settings
  3. Select Network Settings
  4. Select Connection Check

If the check fails, verify the Ethernet cable is properly seated and restart it.


If all of the above are confirmed and the printer still won’t appear, contact logistics@pheedloop.com.


Epson showing Offline in the Dashboard (expected behaviour)


This is not a bug. Epson printers do not report their status to the Event Dashboard. The Offline indicator will always appear for Epsons and can be ignored.


To confirm your Epson has a working connection, check it directly on the printer’s screen: navigate to Menu > General Settings > Network Settings > Connection Check. If the check passes, the printer is ready to use.


Print quality issues

Badge not cutting at the correct spot


This usually happens after a badge reload or a printer jam leaves the printer uncalibrated. In almost all cases, recalibrating the printer resolves it.


For calibration instructions, see the Setting Up Your Rented Epson Printers With PheedLoop article, under Calibrating the Printer Manually.


If calibration doesn’t resolve it, you may have your badge stack inserted backwards - ensure the “Feed Direction” listed on the underside of the badges in pointing towards the front of the printer.


Ink not aligned correctly / white space at badge edges


White space near the edges of a printed badge means the print position is slightly offset. Adjust the Horizontal Print Position Adjustment in the OnSite app.


  1. From PheedLoop OnSite, navigate to Check-In
  2. In the setup tab on the left, select Printers
  3. Select the Pencil icon beside the printer in use.
  4. Scroll to the bottom and adjust:
  • Horizontal Print Position Adjustment: enter a negative value to shift right (max −50); positive to shift left (max +50) 
  • Select Save

Run a test print after each adjustment to check the result.



Badge double-printing


Double-printing means a second blank badge feeds through before the cut. The most likely cause is that the black bars at the bottom of the badge are slightly off, confusing the printer’s sensor.


Work through these steps in order until the issue resolves:


  1. In PheedLoop OnSite, access the printer settings and change Custom Height (mm) from 3600 to 3590. If that doesn’t resolve it, try 3580.
  2. Swap the badge stock to a different printer. If the double-printing stops, the original printer’s settings are the cause. If it continues, the badge stock itself is likely at fault.

If the badge stock is confirmed as the issue, contact logistics@pheedloop.com and the logistics team will assist.



Slow print speed


If badges are taking noticeably longer than expected to print, work through the following causes in order.


Print quality is set too high

Higher print quality uses more ink and takes longer. Lowering the quality setting can significantly speed up printing.

  1. From PheedLoop OnSite, navigate to Check-In
  2. In the setup tab on the left, select Printers
  3. Select the Pencil icon beside the printer in use.
  4. Under Print Quality, select Max Speed or Speed
  5. Select Save, then run a test print

Wi-Fi signal is too weak

If the iPad is out of range or the network is experiencing a spike, print speed will suffer. Move the iPad closer to the router or restart it.


Background image resolution is too high

A high-resolution background image takes longer for the server to process before each print. Compress the image to reduce processing time.


To retrieve the current background image:

  1. From the Badge Label Designer, select Tools > Background Image
  2. Right-click the image and select Save Image As…

Once downloaded, compress the image. Target a resolution of 400 x 1200. If the quality is too degraded, try a slightly higher resolution — but keep it as low as possible.


To upload the compressed image:

  1. From the Badge Label Designer, select Tools > Background Image
  2. Select Choose File under Upload a new background image
  3. Select Import

Refresh the OnSite app and run a test print to confirm the improvement.



Maintenance

Printer is “cleaning” itself


This is normal. Do not turn off the printer during a cleaning cycle.


Epson printers perform a self-cleaning cycle when powered on after being idle for a long time, or after printing a large batch of badges. The cycle typically takes about 4 minutes and may repeat up to three times in a row.


If cleaning occurs during check-in, pause the printing line and wait for it to complete. The printer will resume normal operation automatically once done. You can reroute the iPads to a separate, functional printer while the cleaning occurs.



Ink cartridges or maintenance box running low


When a yellow exclamation mark appears on the printer screen, the cartridge or maintenance box is running low — but likely still has 15–20% of its life remaining. Do not swap immediately. Wait until the life bar on the screen is nearly empty before replacing.


For replacement instructions, see the Setting Up Your Rented Epson Printers With PheedLoop article, under Inserting Ink Cartridges.


Still stuck?


Email logistics@pheedloop.com. Include a description of the issue, any error messages you’re seeing, and photos of misprints or error screens where applicable. The logistics team will respond as quickly as possible.

Did this answer your question? Thanks for the feedback There was a problem submitting your feedback. Please try again later.