Epson Stylus C120 Series User manual

Epson Stylus C120 Series
Quick Guide
Basic Printing
Maintaining Your Printer
Solving Problems
®

2Contents
Contents
Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
Loading Paper . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
Using Special Papers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
Basic Printing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
Printing in Windows . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
Printing With Macintosh OS X . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
Selecting the Correct Paper Type . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
Maintaining Your Printer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
Checking the Print Head Nozzles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
Cleaning the Print Head . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
Checking the Ink Cartridge Status . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
Replacing Ink Cartridges . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
Solving Problems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
Error Indicators . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
Problems and Solutions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
Where To Get Help . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
Notices. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25

Introduction 3
Introduction
After you have set up your Epson Stylus®C120 Series printer as described on the
Start Here sheet, turn here to:
■Load paper
■Get the basic steps for printing from your computer
■Perform routine maintenance
■Solve simple problems
For additional instructions, see the on-screen User’s Guide by clicking the C120
Series User’s Guide icon on your desktop.
Please follow these guidelines as you read your instructions:
Warning:
Warnings must be followed carefully to avoid bodily injury.
Caution:
Cautions must be observed to avoid damage to your equipment.
Note:
Notes contain important information about your product.
Tip:
Tips contain hints for better printing.
Links to online
resources
Movies and
featured topics
Contents of
on-screen
manual

4Loading Paper
Loading Paper
1. Open the paper support.
2. Open the output tray and pull out the extensions.
3. Squeeze the tab on the edge guide and slide it left.

Using Special Papers 5
4. Insert the paper, printable side up, against the right edge guide and beneath
the tabs. (The printable side is whiter or brighter on some papers.) Always
load paper short edge first, even for landscape printing.
5. Slide the left edge guide against the left edge of the paper (but not too tightly).
You can load up to 80 sheets of plain paper and up to 20 sheets of matte or photo
paper (see the User’s Guide for capacity guidelines on other paper types).
Note:
The type of paper you choose affects the way your printout looks, so be sure to select
the correct paper for your job. If you are just printing a rough draft, plain paper is fine.
However, for the best results, you’ll want to use one of Epson’s special ink jet papers
designed for your printer.
Using Special Papers
Epson®offers a wide array of high quality papers, making it easy to maximize the
impact of your presentations and other projects.
Paper type Size
Part
number
Sheet
count
Epson Bright White Paper Letter (8.5 × 11 inches) S041586 500
Epson Photo Paper Glossy Borderless 4 × 6 inches S041809
S042038
50
100
Letter (8.5 × 11 inches) S041141
S041649
S041271
20
50
100

6Loading Paper
You can purchase genuine Epson ink and paper at Epson Supplies CentralSM at
www.epson.com/ink (U.S. sales) or www.epson.ca (Canadian sales). You can also
purchase supplies from an Epson authorized reseller. To find the nearest one, call
800-GO-EPSON (800-463-7766).
Epson Premium Photo Paper
Glossy
Borderless 4 × 6 inches S041808
S041727
40
100
Borderless 5 × 7 inches S041464 20
Borderless 8 × 10 inches S041465 20
Letter (8.5 × 11 inches) S041286
S041667
20
50
Epson Ultra Premium Photo Paper
Glossy
Borderless 4 × 6 inches S041934 50
Letter (8.5 × 11 inches) S041935 20
Epson Premium Photo Paper Semi-
gloss
Borderless 4 × 6 inches S041982 40
Letter (8.5 × 11 inches) S041331 20
Epson Presentation Paper Matte Letter (8.5 × 11 inches) S041062 100
Legal (8.5 × 14 inches) S041067 100
Epson Premium Presentation Paper
Matte
Borderless 8 × 10 inches S041467 50
Letter (8.5 × 11 inches) S041257 50
Epson Premium Presentation Paper
Matte Double-sided
Letter (8.5 × 11 inches) S041568 50
Epson Photo Quality Self-adhesive
Sheets
A4 (8.3 × 11.7 inches) S041106 10
Epson Iron-on Cool Peel Transfer
Paper
Letter (8.5 × 11 inches) S041153 10
Paper type Size
Part
number
Sheet
count

Basic Printing 7
Basic Printing
This section describes the basic steps for printing a document or photo stored on
your Windows®or Macintosh®computer.
Note:
For detailed instructions on printing, see the on-screen User’s Guide.
Before you start, make sure you’ve installed your printer software and connected
the Epson Stylus C120 Series printer to your computer as described on the
Start Here sheet.
Tip:
It’s a good idea to check Epson’s support web site periodically for
free updates to your Epson Stylus C120 Series printing software.
Open your on-screen User’s Guide and select Download the Latest
Software or visit Epson’s support website at epson.com/support.
Download instructions are posted for your convenience.
Printing in Windows
1. Load paper (see page 4).
2. Open your document or photo in a Windows program.
3. Open the File menu and select Print. You see a window like this one:
Click here to open your
printer software
Select Epson Stylus C120 Series

8Basic Printing
4. Make sure Epson Stylus C120 Series is selected, then click the Preferences
or Properties button.
(If you see a Setup, Printer, or Options button, click it. Then click
Preferences or Properties on the next screen.)
5. On the Main tab, select the basic print settings:
Make sure you choose the correct paper Type setting for the paper you are
using (see page 12 for details).
Note:
For more information about print settings, click the ?or Help button.
6. For more printing options, click the Advanced tab.
Note:
For more information about advanced settings, or instructions on saving them as a
group so you can reuse them later, click ?or Help.
7. If you want to change the layout settings, click the Page Layout tab and
select settings as necessary.
Select the type of document you’re printing
(choose Photo or Best Photo for pictures)
Select your
document
Orientation
Select your
paper Size
Select your
paper Type
Click here for
borderless
photos

Printing With Macintosh OS X 9
8. Click OK to save your settings, then click OK or Print to start printing. This
window appears and shows the progress of your print job.
Printing With Macintosh OS X
1. Load paper (see page 4).
2. Open your document or a photo in an application.
3. Select Page Setup from the File menu. Make the following settings:
* For borderless printing, choose a Sheet Feeder - Borderless option in the
Paper Size list for your paper size (US Letter,8 × 10 in,4×6in, or 5×7in).
4. Click OK to close the Page Setup window.
Cancel printing
Check ink
cartridge status
Select Stylus C120
Select your Paper Size*
Select your document
or image orientation
Pause or resume
printing

10 Basic Printing
5. Select Print from the File menu. You see a window like this one:
6. Choose Print Settings from the pop-up menu and select the following
settings as necessary:
Note:
In certain programs, you may need to select Advanced before you can select Print
Settings. For more information about printer settings, click the ?button.
7. Depending on your settings, you can choose these other options from the
pop-up menu:
■Copies & Pages: Select the number of copies you want, or a page range.
■Layout: Select page layout options.
■Scheduler: Schedule your print job to print at a later time.
■Paper Handling: Select page printing options, such as Reverse print
order.
Select Print Settings
Select Stylus C120
Select your Media
Type (see page 12)
Select Color or Black in
k
Select higher quality
or faster printing
(if available)
Select
Automatic mode

Printing With Macintosh OS X 11
■ColorSync or Color Management: Select ColorSync® or adjust the
color controls, change the gamma setting, or turn off color adjustments in
the printer software.
■Cover Page (OS X 10.4.x only): Add a cover page before or after the
document.
■Expansion: Reduce or enlarge the image size for borderless printing.
■Summary: View a list of all your selections.
8. Click the Advanced button to change additional settings.
Note:
For more information on advanced settings, or instructions on saving them as a
group so you can reuse them later, click ?.
9. Click Print.
10. To monitor the progress of your print job, click the printer icon when it
appears in the dock on the bottom of your desktop.
If you’re using OS X 10.2.x, click the Print Center icon instead, then
double-click Stylus C120 in the Printer List window.
You see a screen like this:
11. When you’re finished, close the printer window or Print Center.
Cancel
printing
Select the
print job

12 Basic Printing
Selecting the Correct Paper Type
Select the correct Type (see page 8) or Media Type (see page 10) setting in your
printer software:
For this paper Select this setting
Plain paper
Epson Bright White Paper
Epson Presentation Paper Matte
Plain Paper/Bright White Paper
Epson Ultra Premium Photo Paper Glossy Ultra Premium Photo Paper
Glossy
Epson Premium Photo Paper Glossy Premium Photo Paper Glossy
Epson Photo Paper Glossy Photo Paper Glossy
Epson Premium Photo Paper Semi-gloss Premium Photo Paper Semi-
Gloss
Epson Premium Presentation Paper Matte
Epson Premium Presentation Paper Matte
Double-sided
Epson Photo Quality Self-adhesive Sheets
Epson Iron-on Cool Peel Transfer Paper
Premium Presentation Paper
Matte
Envelopes Envelope

Maintaining Your Printer 13
Maintaining Your Printer
If you notice a decline in print quality, follow the instructions in this chapter for:
■“Checking the Print Head Nozzles” (see below)
■“Cleaning the Print Head” on page 14
■“Checking the Ink Cartridge Status” on page 15
■“Replacing Ink Cartridges” on page 16
Checking the Print Head Nozzles
If your printouts are faint or have gaps in them, some of the nozzles in the print
head may be clogged or ink may be running low in one or more of the ink
cartridges. Follow the steps below to check the print head nozzles.
1. Turn off the printer.
2. Load letter-size paper in the sheet feeder.
3. Press the )paper and Ppower buttons together and hold them down for
about 3 seconds. The printer turns on and prints a test pattern.
If the pattern does not look good, try cleaning the print head as described on the
next page.
Print head nozzles are clean:
Print head needs to be cleaned:

14 Maintaining Your Printer
Cleaning the Print Head
If your printouts are unexpectedly light or faint, or you notice light or dark bands
across your printout, you may need to clean the print head. This unclogs the
nozzles so they can deliver ink properly. Run a nozzle check as described on
page 13 to see if the print head needs cleaning.
Note:
Print head cleaning uses ink, so clean it only if quality declines and the nozzle check
indicates that the print head needs to be cleaned.
If the Hink light comes on or flashes, you cannot clean the print head as described
below. In this case, replace the appropriate ink cartridge first (see page 16) or clean the
print head using the utility in the printer driver.
1. Make sure the printer is on and the Hink light is off.
2. Hold down the Hink button for 3 seconds until the Ppower light starts
flashing. The printer runs a head cleaning cycle.
Caution:
Never turn off the printer while head cleaning is in progress. You may damage it.
3. When the Ppower light stops flashing, run a nozzle check (as described on
page 13) to verify that the print head is clean.
4. If there are still gaps or lines, or the test patterns are faint, run another
cleaning cycle and check the nozzles again.
Note:
If you don’t see any improvement after cleaning the print head up to 4 times, turn off
the printer and wait overnight. This lets any dried ink soften. Then try cleaning the print
head again. If quality still does not improve, one of the ink cartridges may be old or
damaged and needs to be replaced (see page 16).
Tip:
If you do not use your printer often, it is a good idea to print a few pages at least once a
month to maintain good print quality.

Checking the Ink Cartridge Status 15
Checking the Ink Cartridge Status
When the Hink light starts flashing, one or more cartridges are low on ink. When
the Hink light stays on, you need to replace the cartridge(s).
Caution:
You cannot print if one or more cartridges are expended. Leave the expended
cartridge(s) installed until you have obtained a replacement, or the ink remaining in the
print head nozzles may dry out.
A window may appear on your screen if you try to print when ink is low. On a
Windows computer that is connected to the Internet, you may see a screen asking
if you want to receive ink offers and other updates from Epson. Click Accept or
Decline to continue.
Note:
To disable checking for ink offers or updates from Epson, see the instructions in your
on-screen User’s Guide.
You can purchase genuine Epson ink and paper at Epson Supplies Central at
www.epson.com/ink (U.S. sales) or www.epson.ca (Canadian sales). You can also
purchase supplies from an Epson authorized reseller. To find the nearest one, call
800-GO-EPSON (800-463-7766). Use these part numbers when you order or
purchase new ink cartridges:
Note:
The Epson Stylus C120 Series requires two black ink cartridges. You must use the
number 68 (high capacity) black ink cartridges, not the number 69 (standard capacity)
ones.
We recommend that you use genuine Epson cartridges and do not refill them. The use
of other products may affect your print quality and could result in printer damage.
Cartridge yields vary considerably based on images printed, print settings, paper type,
frequency of use, and temperature. For print quality, a small amount of ink remains in
the cartridge after the “replace cartridge” indicator comes on. The printer ships with full
cartridges and part of the ink from the first cartridges is used for priming the printer.
For best printing results, use up a cartridge within six months of opening the package.
Color Part number
Black 68 (high capacity; two required)
Cyan 69
Magenta 69
Yellow 69

16 Maintaining Your Printer
Replacing Ink Cartridges
Make sure you have a new ink cartridge before you begin. Once you start replacing
a cartridge, you must complete all the steps in one session.
1. Make sure the printer is on.
2. Open the printer cover.
3. Press and release the Hink button. The Ppower and Hink lights flash.
If one of the cartridges is low or expended, the printer moves that cartridge to
the _expended ink mark. Go to step 4.
If no cartridges are low or expended, the ink cartridge holder moves to the ink
replacement position. Go to step 4.
Note:
Do not hold down the Hink button for more than 3 seconds or the printer will start
to clean the print head.
Caution:
Do not move the print head by hand; this may damage the printer. Always press
the Hink button to move it.

Replacing Ink Cartridges 17
4. Press the Hink button again.
■If another cartridge is low or expended, it moves to the _expended ink
mark.
■Once the printer identifies all of the low or expended ink cartridges, the
print head moves to the ink cartridge replacement position.
5. Open the cartridge cover.
Caution:
Never attempt to open the cartridge cover when the print head is moving. Wait
until the cartridges have moved to the replacement position.
6. Squeeze the tab at the back of the cartridge and lift it straight out. Dispose of
it carefully. Do not take the used cartridge apart or try to refill it.

18 Maintaining Your Printer
Warning:
If ink gets on your hands, wash them thoroughly with soap and water. If ink gets
into your eyes, flush them immediately with water. Keep cartridges out of the
reach of children.
7. Before you open the new ink cartridge package, shake it four or five times.
Then remove it from the package.
Caution:
Do not touch the green chip on the front of the cartridge. This can damage the ink
cartridge.
8. Remove the yellow tape from the bottom of the ink cartridge.
Caution:
If you do not remove the yellow tape before installing the ink cartridge, print quality
may decline or you may not be able to print.
Caution:
Do not remove any other seals from the cartridges.

Replacing Ink Cartridges 19
9. Place the new ink cartridge into the cartridge holder and push it down until it
clicks into place.
10. Once you replace any other cartridges that need replacing, close the ink
cartridge cover and press it until it clicks into place.
11. Close the printer cover.
12. Press the Hink button. The printer begins charging ink and the Ppower
light starts flashing. This takes about 1 1/2 minutes. When it’s finished, the
Ppower light stops flashing and remains on, and the Hink light goes out.
Caution:
Never turn off the printer while the Ppower light is flashing or you’ll waste ink.
If you removed a low or expended ink cartridge, you cannot reinstall and use the
cartridge.
Note:
If the Hink light stays on (not flashing), the ink cartridge may not be installed
correctly. Press the Hink button again and reinstall the ink cartridge until it clicks
into place.

20 Solving Problems
Solving Problems
If you have a problem with your Epson Stylus C120 Series printer, check the lights
on the control panel to diagnose the cause.
You can also check “Problems and Solutions” on page 21 for basic troubleshooting
suggestions, or double-click the User’s Guide icon on your computer desktop for
more detailed help.
Error Indicators
Light status Cause Solution
The printer cover is
open.
Close the printer cover.
No paper is loaded in
the sheet feeder.
Load paper in the sheet
feeder. See page 4.
Multiple pages have
been fed into the sheet
feeder.
Press the )paper
button to eject the
paper. Then reload the
paper; see page 4.
Paper is jammed. See page 22.
An ink cartridge is
running low on ink.
See page 15.
PH)
Flashing Flashing
fast
Flashing
fast
Flashing Off On
PH)
Flashing Off Flashing
PH)
On Flashing Off
PH)