Epson error 0x69: fix guide for the fatal print error

What causes it

• A sheet stalled inside the duplex unit at the back of the printer
• Card or thick media fed through a path that cannot handle its weight
• The rear cover or duplex unit not clipped in fully
• A skewed sheet caught between the cassette and the main feed rollers
• Worn duplex rollers on a printer that has done heavy double-sided volume

How to fix it, in order

Work down the list and stop when the printer recovers. The steps are ordered from most likely and least invasive to last resort.

1. Remove the rear cover and look inside the duplex path

   Turn the printer off and unplug it. At the back, press the two tabs on the rear cover or duplex unit and pull it straight out. Look inside the unit and into the opening in the printer for a sheet, part of a sheet, or a crumpled edge. Pull anything you find out slowly, holding it with both hands so it does not tear.

2. Take the cassette out and check the space beneath it

   Slide the paper cassette out completely and shine a torch into the empty bay. Sheets that missed the pickup often fold under the cassette where they are invisible from the front. Remove them, then square the paper stack, set the edge guides to just touch it, and slide the cassette back in until it seats fully with a positive stop.

3. Refit the rear cover correctly

   Push the rear cover or duplex unit back in until both sides click. A cover that is in but not latched leaves the paper path open at the top and gives repeat transport errors, and it is easy to get one side seated and not the other. Check by tugging gently on each corner.

4. Power drain the printer

   With everything reassembled, hold the power button for 30 seconds while the printer is unplugged, then leave it for five minutes. Plug in and power on. This clears the stored paper position so the printer re-checks the sensors rather than assuming a sheet is still in transit.

5. Match the media to the correct feed path

   Check what you were printing when the error appeared. Card, envelopes and photo paper heavier than about 200gsm must use the rear feed slot on models that have one, never the cassette, and duplex printing is not supported on heavy stock at all. Reprint the same job on plain paper to confirm the printer itself is healthy.

6. Clean the feed and duplex rollers

   Dampen a lint-free cloth with water and wipe the grey rubber rollers you can reach in the cassette bay and inside the removed rear cover, turning each roller so the whole surface is cleaned. Let them dry for ten minutes. Glazed rollers slip and slipping is what causes the position timeout in the first place.

7. Test single-sided first, then duplex

   Print a one-page single-sided document. If that works, try a two-page duplex job. Narrowing the failure to the duplex path specifically tells you whether the fix worked or whether the duplex rollers need replacing, and saves you guessing.

Frequently asked questions