Epson ColorWorks C4000 setup guide: from unboxing to first label

This guide takes a new Epson ColorWorks C4000 from the box to its first colour label. It is written for our version C31CK03102BK and covers the black ink choice, ink charging, the Windows driver, loading labels and a test print.

Before you start

Gloss black or matte black

The C4000 prints with four pigment inks: black, cyan, magenta and yellow. Epson offers two black inks, and you pick one for the life of the printer. Epson sells the printer as the CW-C4000e (bk), our C31CK03102BK with gloss black ink, and as the CW-C4000e (mk), C31CK03102MK, with matte black ink.

The printer asks for the black ink type the first time you switch it on. Once ink charging has started, the choice cannot be changed. Choose gloss black if you print on glossy labels or film, and matte black for plain, texture or wristband media. Matte paper and synthetic labels work with both.

Check the box

Epson lists the printer, an AC adapter with its power cable, a USB cable, a set of four ink cartridges for the first fill, a maintenance box, a roll of die-cut labels for the first test and the OT-PT40 paper tray. Some items differ by country. Remove all tape and protective material, including inside the printer.

Choose a good spot

• A firm, level surface that can carry about 13 kg and is larger than the printer's base.
• Room to open the covers, and space behind the printer for fanfold labels.
• A room between 5 and 35 °C with 20–80 % relative humidity, without condensation.
• Do not cover the printer or put anything heavy on top of it.

Video: Epson

Connect the power

1. Push the DC connector of the AC adapter fully into the power connector at the back of the printer.
2. Connect the power cable to the AC adapter.
3. Plug the power cable into a grounded socket.

Use only the AC adapter from the box. Leave the USB cable unplugged for now.

Switch on and choose the black ink

1. Press and hold the power button until the power light comes on.
2. On the screen, set the language and then the date and time.
3. Select the black ink type. For our C31CK03102BK, select gloss black to match the cartridge in the box.

Install the ink and let it charge

1. Open the ink cartridge cover at the front.
2. Shake each new cartridge before you unpack it: move it about 5 cm from side to side, around 15 times in 5 seconds.
3. Take the cartridge out of its bag. Do not touch the chip on the cartridge.
4. Insert the cartridge in the slot for its colour and press the Push mark until it clicks.
5. Repeat for all four colours. The printer cannot print with a slot left empty.
6. Close the cover and select Yes to start the initial ink charging.
7. Wait until the confirmation screen appears and select OK.

Charging takes about 19 minutes, and the power light flashes while it runs. Do not open any cover and do not switch the printer off during charging: Epson warns that this wastes ink.

If the screen shows "Maintenance Box not installed.", open the maintenance box cover at the front, push the maintenance box from the box fully into place and close the cover.

Install the driver and connect

Epson's Windows package is called CW-C4000 series Printer Driver / Printer Setting. It installs the printer driver and PrinterSetting, Epson's tool for the printer's media and maintenance settings. It supports Windows 10 and 11 and needs an administrator account.

1. Go to epson.sn, search for CW-C4000 and download the Windows printer driver.
2. Run the downloaded .exe file and follow the instructions on screen.
3. When the installer asks for the printer, connect it. For USB, plug the cable into the USB B port at the back and route it through the wire saddle so it cannot be pulled out. For a network, plug an Ethernet cable into the LAN port.

Network settings

The C4000 has wired Ethernet up to 1000BASE-T. With Auto as the TCP/IP setting method, it takes its IP address from your router. To set a fixed address, go to Menu › General Settings › Network Settings › Advanced › TCP/IP › TCP/IP Setting Method, select Manual, enter the IP address and subnet mask and select Start Setup. To check the connection and see the address, print a report from Menu › General Settings › Network Settings › Connection Check.

Wi-Fi needs Epson's optional OT-WL06 wireless LAN unit in the USB A port. Epson's EU cybersecurity guide for ColorWorks says that when a Wi-Fi unit is connected, the printer switches to stricter settings and restarts. In that mode some driver functions, including PrinterSetting, are not available, and network printing from the driver uses the IPP port.

Set the label size in the driver

The C4000 prints with the driver's media settings, even if the printer's own settings differ. The defaults match the starter roll: 108 × 174.8 mm die-cut labels with a 3 mm gap, matte paper, gap detection.

1. Open Settings › Bluetooth & devices › Printers & scanners, select the printer and then Printing preferences.
2. On the General tab, select Media Definition.
3. Select New, enter a name, the label width, the label length and the gap between labels, and set the media form and coating type for your labels.
4. Select OK and Close.

Set Media Coating Type to the paper you load, for example Glossy Paper for gloss labels. A wrong coating type is a common cause of smudges and banding. Our C4000 media settings guide explains every option, including black mark labels and the cutter.

Load the labels

Load paper only after the printer is on and the Home screen is showing.

1. Pull the release lever towards you and open the front cover. If the paper feed guide is fitted inside, remove it.
2. Raise the lock lever of the roll paper guides, slide the guides fully outwards and lower the lever.
3. Place the roll in the printer with the printable side facing up.
4. Raise the lock lever again, slide the guides against the roll and lower the lever.
5. Set the shutters on the platen for your label width, following the label inside the printer. The table below shows the rule.
6. Lower the lock lever of the paper ejection guides, slide them outwards and pull the labels out through the exit.
7. Hold the labels flat, slide the ejection guides against them and raise the lock lever until it clicks.
8. Pull the leading edge out and close the front cover.
9. Press Pause and check that the Home screen shows the printer as ready.

Shutters that are open wider than the labels can cause smudged edges, blurred text or jams.

Video: Epson

Print a test

Start with a nozzle check. It shows whether all print head nozzles fire after the first ink fill.

1. On the printer, select Menu › Maintenance › Print Head Nozzle Check and then Print.
2. Check the pattern. If every line is printed, the head is ready. If lines are missing, run Menu › Maintenance › Print Head Cleaning and print the pattern again.
3. Print a test page from Windows: open the printer in Printers & scanners, select Printer properties and then Print Test Page.

With gap or black mark detection on, the Windows test page can leave the first label blank. That is expected. Print one of your own labels to confirm size and position. If something goes wrong, see our C4000 troubleshooting guide.