Epson Expression Home XP-255: Setup, Drivers, Ink and Common Problems

Is the Epson Expression Home XP-255 right for you?

The XP-255 is the 2018 follow-up to the XP-245 and is practically identical, with the same 29 cartridges, 50-sheet feeder and LED-only panel. It added Mopria support and minor firmware changes. For anyone who prints a few pages a week it is adequate, but compatible 29 cartridges are frequently rejected after updates and the small waste ink pad fills quickly with head cleaning.

Best for: Budget UK households printing a handful of pages a week

Setting up the Epson Expression Home XP-255

Use WPS or the USB-assisted wizard in the Epson installer for Wi-Fi, on a 2.4 GHz network. Install the driver and Epson Scan 2 from epson.co.uk/support. Avoid running repeated head cleanings; one cycle followed by an hour's rest is more effective and saves the pads.

1. Unbox and prepare. Remove every piece of shipping tape and packing material, install the ink cartridges, and load paper in the tray.
2. Join your Wi-Fi. Keep the printer close to the router for setup. Most printers only connect to the 2.4GHz band, so if your router broadcasts one merged network name you may need to split the bands temporarily. See our Wi-Fi guide if it will not join.
3. Install the setup app. Use Epson's official app rather than a driver you found on a search result — third-party driver sites are the most common source of printer malware.
4. Add the printer. On Windows 11: Settings › Bluetooth & devices › Printers & scanners › Add device. On macOS: System Settings › Printers & Scanners › Add Printer.
5. Print a test page and run a scan if this is an all-in-one, so you find any problem now rather than when you are in a hurry.

Ink, toner and supplies

The Epson Expression Home XP-255 uses the following consumables. Match the number exactly when you buy: the same printer family often uses several different cartridge numbers by region.

• Epson 29 Black
• Epson 29 Cyan/Magenta/Yellow
• Epson 29XL high-yield cartridges

High-yield (XL) versions almost always cost less per page if you print regularly. On third-party ink and toner, read our honest assessment first, and note that some manufacturers push firmware that rejects non-original chips.

Full specifications