Epson error 0x97, explained honestly
Error 0x97 is the code Epson printers in the WorkForce range show for an internal error, and it has a reputation for a reason: in the great majority of cases it marks a hardware failure, most often around the print head or the main board, and it typically ends the printer's working life. This page will not pretend otherwise. A few external causes are worth ruling out because they cost nothing to check, but if they fail, 0x97 is a replace-versus-repair decision, not a settings problem.
The fix, in order
- Do one full power reset. Turn the printer off, unplug it for several minutes, plug it directly into a wall outlet, and turn it on. A latched fault clears this way occasionally; if 0x97 returns at startup, it is reporting a real detection, not a glitch.
- Rule out paper and carriage obstructions. Open the printer and check the full paper path and the carriage travel for jams, scraps, or anything foreign. An obstruction severe enough to stall the carriage can surface as an internal error on some models, and it is the one user-fixable cause.
- Remove and reseat the cartridges. A cartridge that leaked or is badly seated can create electrical faults the controller reports internally. Check for ink where it should not be, especially around the carriage contacts, and do not operate the printer if there is visible ink pooling on electronics.
- Try starting with the cartridges out. On models that permit it, powering on with cartridges removed sometimes changes the code shown, which helps confirm the fault area for a repairer. Note what the printer reports in each state.
- Make the repair-versus-replace call with real numbers. Print head and main board replacements on these models commonly approach or exceed the price of an equivalent new printer, and the parts are model-specific. Get a quote first if the printer is under warranty or a service plan; otherwise replacement is usually the economical answer.
If it still happens
Be skeptical of paid reset utilities and miracle software marketed for 0x97: the error is the printer reporting its own hardware state, and no program run on a PC changes a failed print head or board. Epson's support can confirm warranty status, which is the one route where this code costs nothing to resolve.
Common questions
Can error 0x97 be fixed at home? Rarely. The obstruction and reset checks fix a small minority. The rest are print head or main board failures, which are parts replacements requiring disassembly, and usually not economical on the affected models.
Why did 0x97 appear with no warning? Print heads and boards often fail outright rather than gradually. A printer that printed normally yesterday can report 0x97 today because the component crossed from working to failed between one power-on self-test and the next.
Related errors