The quality of a scanned image with Epson Scan is poor. What should I do?

• The solution will depend on the problem you're having. See the solutions below for your problem.
  
  Image Consists of a Few Dots Only
  • Make sure you placed your original for scanning facing the correct way.
  • If you are scanning using the Epson Scan Black&White setting, adjust the Threshold setting and scan again.
  Line of Dots Appears in All Scanned Images
  • If a line of dots appears in all your scanned images, clean the scanner glass with a soft, dry, lint-free cloth, or use a small amount of glass cleaner on the cloth, if necessary. Paper towels are not recommended.
  Caution: Do not spray glass cleaner directly on the scanner glass.
  Straight Lines in an Image Appear Crooked
  • Make sure to place your original straight when you scan it.
  Image is Distorted or Blurry
  • Make sure your original is not wrinkled or warped. This may prevent the original from laying flat on the scanner glass.
  • Do not move your original or your product during scanning.
  • Your product will not operate properly while tilted at an angle. Place it on a flat, stable surface that extends beyond the base of the product in all directions.
  • Adjust these Epson Scan settings (if available) and try scanning again:
    • Select the Unsharp Mask setting.
    • Adjust the Auto Exposure setting.
    • Increase the Resolution setting.
  Image Colors are Patchy at the Edges
  • If you are scanning a thick or warped original, cover its edges with paper to block external light as you scan it.
  Image is Too Dark
  • Adjust these Epson Scan settings (if available) and try scanning again:
    • Auto Exposure
    • Brightness
    • Histogram Adjustment
  • Check the brightness and contrast settings on your computer monitor.
  Back of Original Image Appears in Scanned Image
  • If an image from the back of a thin original appears in your scanned image, place a piece of black paper on the back of the original and scan it again.
  Ripple Patterns Appear in Image
  
  You may see a rippled pattern (called a moir) in scanned images of a printed documents. This is caused by interference from the differing pitches in the scanner's screen and your original's halftone screen. To reduce this effect, adjust these Epson Scan settings (if available) and try scanning again:
  • Select the Descreening setting.
  • Select a lower Resolution setting.
  Scanned Image Colors Do Not Match Original Colors
  
  Printed colors can never exactly match the colors on your computer monitor because printers and monitors use different color systems: monitors use RGB (red, green, and blue) and printers typically use CMYK (cyan, magenta, yellow, and black).
  
  Check the color matching and color management capabilities of your computer, display adapter, and the software you are using to see if they are affecting the palette of colors you see on your screen.
  
  To adjust the colors in your scanned image, adjust these Epson Scan settings (if available) and try scanning again:
  • Change the Image Type setting and experiment with different combinations of the next settings.
  • Adjust the Tone Correction setting.
  • Adjust the Auto Exposure setting.
  Scan Area Not Adjustable in Thumbnail Preview
  • Create a scan area by drawing a marquee on your preview image and adjusting it as necessary.
  • Switch to the Normal preview mode, if available, and preview your image again.
  Scanned Image Edges are Cropped
  If the edges of a scanned image are cropped, make sure your original is placed correctly for scanning. If necessary, move your original away from the edges of the scanner glass slightly.
  
  Related references
  Scan in Home Mode
  Scan in Professional Mode
  Scan in Office Mode