Printer Banding Test - Measure Horizontal Density Variation

Banding is a repeated light/dark pattern across the print. This page is specifically for horizontal density variation, not every kind of line or smear.

Why the sheet uses four tone levels

Each CMYK row includes 25%, 50%, 75% and 100% fields. A defect that is subtle in a fully saturated block can be easier to see in a midtone, so the analyzer samples the tonal fields separately.

What the browser measures

The analyzer builds an intensity profile along the feed direction, removes slow illumination drift and looks for repeatable higher-frequency variation. White reference regions are also used to guard against broad lighting changes across the photographed page.

Banding is not one automatic diagnosis

A repeated pattern can have more than one cause. Manufacturer guidance commonly asks users to check a nozzle pattern, paper/media settings, print quality and alignment before escalating maintenance. Printer Vitals therefore reports the measured pattern and a conservative next step rather than naming one failed component.

Confirm borderline results with a retest

Severity labels are software thresholds. If the finding is close to a boundary, print the same sheet again under the same settings before making a larger maintenance change.

Primary-reference check: Epson support lists nozzle checks, paper-type settings, print quality and print-head alignment among the checks for white or dark lines/banding. Follow the manual for your own printer before deeper cleaning.

Manufacturer references: Epson support