Frequently Asked Question

There are many reason why there is a line from your scanner. 

The most common reason for vertical lines on your scans is a tiny piece of dirt, dust, or debris on the scanner glass.

This is especially true if you are using the Automatic Document Feeder (ADF).¹ Here’s a breakdown of the cause and how to fix it.

Why Dirt Causes a Line

Your scanner has two separate pieces of glass:²

1. Main Flatbed Glass: The large glass surface you use for single pages or books.
2. ADF Glass: A very small, thin strip of glass, usually on the left side of the main glass.

When you use the ADF, the paper moves past this small strip of glass.³ If there's a tiny speck of dust, a Wite-Out flake, or sticky residue on that one spot, the scanner sees it on every single part of the page as it slides by. This creates a perfect vertical line down the entire scanned image.

If the line only appears when using the flatbed, the debris is on the main glass.

How to Fix It

You just need to clean the scanner glass.⁴

1. Get Your Supplies: You'll need a soft, lint-free cloth (like a microfiber cloth) and isopropyl alcohol or a gentle glass cleaner. Don't spray the cleaner directly on the glass; spray it on the cloth.
2. Find the Debris: Open the scanner lid. Look for the small, narrow strip of glass (the ADF glass) separate from the main scanning bed. The speck you're looking for can be tiny—even a small smudge or a bit of dried glue can cause the line.
3. Clean Both Glass Surfaces:
   • Thoroughly wipe down the small ADF glass strip.⁵ Apply gentle pressure to remove any stuck-on residue.⁶
   • While you're there, clean the main flatbed glass as well.
   • Also, wipe the white or gray plastic bar on the underside of the scanner lid, as dirt can collect there too.⁷
4. Test the Scanner: Scan a blank page using the ADF. If the line is gone, you've fixed it! If not, clean the ADF glass strip again, paying very close attention to any tiny specks. Sometimes it takes a couple of tries to get it perfectly clean.⁸