Use this article as a Budtender or Store Manager to troubleshoot Epson and Star Micronics receipt printers when a receipt fails to print after a completed transaction.
What is the issue?
The printer does not respond when a sale is closed, preventing the customer from receiving their proof of purchase. This disrupts the flow of the checkout line and can lead to compliance issues if physical receipts are required by local law.
What’s causing the issue?
Common causes include a disconnected USB or Ethernet cable, the printer being out of paper, or the paper roll being loaded upside down. It can also occur if the printer is assigned to the wrong register in the Back Office settings.
Note about Star Micronics TSP100 series receipt printers: The futurePRNT driver should be installed and kept up to date on any registers that use a TSP100 receipt printer. These printers have been discontinued by the manufacturer and Dutchie Support can offer only limited troubleshooting for these models. We recommend upgrading to one of these models.
How do I solve the issue?
- Ensure the printer is powered on and the status light is a solid green.
- Open the printer cover and verify that the paper roll is feeding from the top of the roll, not the bottom.
- Check the cable connection between the printer and the Register (via USB) or your network/router (via Ethernet); ensure the cable is firmly seated in the correct port.
- Determine if your printer is connected via WebUSB or PrintNode.
- WebUSB printers connect directly to your Register via a USB cable and do not appear in the Backoffice under Settings > Devices > Printers.
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PrintNode printers may connect directly to your Register via a USB cable or to your network/router via Ethernet and do appear in the Backoffice under Settings > Devices > Printers.
- For PrintNode printers, go to Settings > Devices in the Backoffice and select the register that the printer should be connected to. Check the Receipt Printer dropdown to make sure the correct printer is selected. If not, choose the correct printer and Save.
- For PrintNode printers connected to your network via Ethernet, turn the printer off, then hold the feed button while turning the printer back on. Continue holding until the printer prints a test receipt, which should include its IP address. Make sure the printer and Register are on the same network. For example, if your printer's IP address is 192.168.1.10 and your Register device's IP address is 192.168.1.11, (i.e., the first three sets of numbers match), then the devices are on the same network. If the first three sets of numbers do not match, then an issue with your local network is causing the problem.
- In the Register, go to Settings > Receipt Printer.
- Tap Refresh to see if the printer appears, then select the correct model.
- For WebUSB printers, try selecting Add new printer and following the prompts from your browser. You may need to remove the printer from your Chrome settings and try adding it again.
- Tap Print Test Receipt to verify the connection.
- If the test fails, power cycle the printer by turning it off for 30 seconds and then back on.
- Check for firmware updates for your printer model. If the issue persists after these steps, contact Dutchie Support with your printer make/model, connection type (WebUSB, PrintNode USB, or PrintNode Ethernet), and any error messages displayed.
Download instead
As a temporary workaround when a receipt printer fails, choose Download instead when completing a transaction:
This downloads a PDF copy of the receipt (and labels, if applicable), which you can then print from a standard office printer as a temporary workaround.
Commonly Asked Questions
- Why is the light on my printer blinking red?
- Which way does the paper roll go into the machine?
- How do I check if my printer and Register are on the same network?
- How do I tell if my printer is connected via WebUSB or PrintNode?
- How do I assign a PrintNode printer to a Register?
Additional Resources
- Recommended hardware for the Dutchie Register web application
- Configure receipt fulfillment and Z-report printers in the Dutchie Register
- TSP100 receipt printer troubleshooting for iPad
- Hardware setup checklist for the Dutchie Register
- How to set up the Dutchie Register iPad app and connect your hardware