Epson Printer Prints Blank Pages? 4 Fast Fixes

If you printed any volume of documents, you’ve probably seen the common issue of printing blank pages. It can be pretty frustrating. Here’s why your Epson printer prints blank pages – and how to fix it.

Your Epson printer might be printing blank pages for these four reasons. It might be low on toner or ink. It might require a restart or a print head cleaning. And it might require a printer firmware update.

Each of these is easily resolved. Here are four fast fixes for an Epson printer that prints blank pages.

Why is My Epson Printer Printing Blank Pages?

If your Epson printer is printing blank pages, there are a few possible causes that you need to consider. The problem can be caused by either a mechanical or technical issue, and most times, you can fix these issues at home.

You’ll need to thoroughly examine your printer and check its software to determine the exact problem. 

4 Ways to Fix an Epson Printer That Prints Blank Pages

Here are some troubleshooting steps that you can use to attempt to fix the issue on your own.

1. Ensure You Have Enough Ink or Toner

Your next step is to check your ink or toner cartridges. Sometimes your printer or computer might not notify you that your ink or toner levels are low.

So you’ll need to check them yourself. Here’s one way to check your cartridge levels.

1. Ensure your computer and printer have a connection.
2. On your computer, find the settings and click on the “Devices and printers” section.
3. Click on “Options and supplies” or “View printer status,” depending on the computer you have.
4. Click on the “Supply levels” tab, and it will display your ink and toner levels.
5. If they’re low you should replace the cartridges. If they aren’t low, move on to the next troubleshooting idea.

Before looking inside your printer, you should know the difference between ink and toner to see which one your printer has. Laser printers use toner, which is a polymer powder that gets deposited onto the paper or other surfaces, rather than liquid ink. If you have an inkjet printer, your printer uses liquid ink. 

Here’s how to tell if you have an inkjet or laser printer.

2. Try Restarting Your Epson Printer

Restarting your Epson printer might seem redundant, but it can fix a whole host of issues that your printer is having by making it reconnect to WiFi and your computer.

It will also clear out any pending printing jobs.

If your Epson printer prints blank pages, restart it using the following steps:

1. Hold down the power button until the screen goes black.
2. Unplug the printer from the outlet.
3. Wait 30 seconds, then plug it back in.
4. Allow the printer to power back up completely, reconnect it to the WiFI if needed, and try printing something. If it still prints blank pages, you can move on to the next potential solution.

Here are 4 methods to reset your Epson printer.

3. Update Your Epson Printer’s Software

If the issue isn’t mechanical, it could be technical. To update your printer’s software, follow these steps:

1. Go to the main menu of your printer and click “Setup” and then “Device settings.”
2. Find the “Firmware update” tab and click it.
3. Click “Install update” if there is one available.
4. It will notify you when the update finishes.

Printing blank pages is one symptom of the Epson error code 0x97.

4. Clean the Printhead

Many Epson printers have an automatic printhead cleaning option.

1. To do this, you’ll need to hold the “Stop” button down and release it after two flashes.
2. You can sometimes access printhead cleaning from the printer maintenance section on your computer.

If you don’t have either of these, you’ll need to manually clean it.

To clean the printhead, follow these steps:

1. Unplug your Epson printer.
2. Open the printer’s hood and remove the ink cartridges. 
3. Remove the printhead. You may need your printer’s manual for help.
4. Wipe the printhead with a damp cloth.
5. Put the printhead in a container of warm water for five to ten minutes.
6. Take the printhead out, wipe it with a dry cloth, and allow it to sit on paper towels to dry.
7. After about half an hour, the printhead should be dry. Then you can put it back into the printer.
8. Plug the printer back in, turn it on, and try printing a test page. If your Epson printer is still printing blank pages, try the next troubleshooting idea.

Have more questions about Epson printers? Check out all our Epson printer guides. Here are a couple more tricks to try if you’re printer is still printing blank sheets.

Has your printer gone offline? Here’s how to bring your Epson printer back online.

Your Turn

If you notice that your Epson printer prints blank pages, it’s a sign there’s either a mechanical or a software issue. To solve the issue, go through the above fast fixes until the problem resolves. If nothing seems to help, you may need to contact Epson for professional help, as it could be a manufacturing issue.

Did this fix work for you? Please share your experience in the comments!

Here’s help for other printer brands that are printing blank pages.