Clover POS thermal prints reversed characters — encoding toggle
Joe B.
Expert ★★★★★ 27,853 satisfied customers
Specialities: Clover POS, thermal receipt printers (Star/Epson/Bixolon), ESC/POS code pages, UTF-8/CP437/Windows-1252, QR/barcodes
Clover receipt shows garbled or mirrored text — change printer code page/encoding, disable RTL, restore readable receipts
Technician
• Which printer model is paired to Clover (Star TSP100/TSP650II/mC-Print3, Epson TM-T20/T88, Bixolon)? USB, LAN, or Bluetooth?
• What exactly prints wrong: accented letters (é, ñ, ü), currency symbols (€, £), Hebrew/Arabic flipping **right-to-left**, or random blocks/�?
• Did this start after a **firmware update**, printer **factory reset**, or app install (kitchen/label app)?
Technician
1) Set the printer’s **code page** to a Western/UTF-8-compatible option (often **CP437** or **Windows-1252** for US/EU).
2) Disable any **Reverse/Invert** or **RTL** mode.
3) Lock settings via the Star/Epson utility so Clover can’t auto-switch them.
4) Test with characters **Á ä ç ñ € £** to confirm.
Technician
• On iOS/Android/Windows, install **Star Utilities / mC-Print Utility / TSP100 Utility** → connect to the printer.
• Open Printer Settings → Code Page (Character Set) and set **USA/Western (CP437/CP1252)**. Save & send settings to the printer.
• In Memory Switch / Print Settings ensure **Reverse print = Off** and **Right-to-Left = Off**. Apply and reboot printer.
• Print a **Self-Test** page and verify the reported **Code Page** line.
Technician
Some kitchen/label apps force a different table or send **raw ESC/POS** with a conflicting
ESC t (select character table) command. Fixes:• In the app’s **printer profile**, pick the same **code page** you set on the device (CP437 or Windows-1252).
• For **Epson TM-T20/T88**, use the **TM Utility** app → Character Code Table = **PC437 (USA, Standard Europe)** or **Windows-1252**; ensure **Bi-Directional/RTL** options are disabled.
• If the app allows **Render as image/bitmap**, enable it temporarily — this bypasses encoding and proves the issue is code-page related.
Technician
• In your refund notes/items, avoid pasting text that contains RTL marks; retype the line.
• In the printer utility, make sure **Auto RTL/Arabic/Hebrew** is off. If available, set **Default text direction = LTR**.
Then reprint the last refund to verify it stays left-to-right.
Technician
• **Windows-1252 (Western)**: covers **€, £, ñ, ä, ç** reliably on most Star/Epson models.
• **CP437**: also fine for many Western characters; good fallback if 1252 isn’t available.
Steps: set the code page in **Star/Epson utility**, match it in any **kitchen app**, and avoid mixing languages that need other tables. Power-cycle the printer and do a **Self-Test** after changes.
Technician
1) Print **Self-Test** → confirm code page.
2) If it’s wrong, re-apply your profile and power-cycle.
3) Keep a **test txt** that contains “Á ä ç ñ € £ — test” to validate in seconds.
Technician
Technician
Quick answer: the accepted fix
Accepted fix when Clover receipts print reversed/garbled: set the printer’s **character code table** to **Windows-1252 or CP437**, disable **Reverse/RTL**, save settings to non-volatile memory, and ensure any kitchen/label app uses the same **ESC/POS code page**. Reprint a test with “Á ä ç ñ € £”.
Why receipts show mirrored text or mojibake (ESC/POS code pages & RTL)
Thermal printers implement **ESC/POS** with selectable character code tables. If the table (e.g., **CP437**, **CP850**, **Windows-1252**) doesn’t match what Clover/apps send, you’ll see mojibake (garbage symbols) instead of **é/ñ/€**. Some printers also honor **right-to-left** toggles; a stray RTL control can flip a line and look “reversed”. Set a single table everywhere and turn **Reverse/RTL** off to stabilize output.
How to verify the encoding is correct
Print a self-test from the printer to confirm the selected Code Page. Then print a 1-line test from Clover with: Á ä ç ñ € £ — sample. If all characters render correctly and no line is mirrored, the **encoding & direction** are fixed. If a specific app still fails, enable **render as image/bitmap** in that app to confirm it’s sending the wrong table, then align it to your chosen **Windows-1252/CP437**.
Encoding issues — quick troubleshooting tips
Most Clover text problems are **wrong code page** or a stuck **Reverse/RTL** flag on the thermal printer.
Quick path: open the **Star/Epson utility** → set Windows-1252 or CP437 → ensure Reverse/RTL Off → save to **NV memory** → match the same table in kitchen/label apps → reprint accents and currency. This resolves the majority of Clover POS encoding cases on Star/Epson/Bixolon.
Disclaimer: This information is AI-generated and intended for general guidance only. For advice specific to your environment, please consult a verified expert on Whizz-Tech before making decisions.
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FAQ
Why do Clover receipts show reversed or mirrored characters?
Thermal printers can enable **Reverse/RTL** modes. If toggled by an app or reset, a line may print backwards. Turn **Reverse/RTL** off in the printer utility and save to NV memory.
Which encoding should I choose for € £ ñ on Star/Epson?
Choose **Windows-1252 (Western)** where available; otherwise **CP437**. Match that same table in any kitchen/label app to avoid mismatches.
Do I need to change anything inside Clover?
Usually no. Adjust the printer via **Star/Epson utilities** and make sure third-party apps don’t send conflicting **ESC t** (select code page) commands. Keep QR/barcode data ASCII if possible.
After power loss, the issue returns. How do I persist the fix?
Use the printer utility to **save settings** to non-volatile memory (Star: Memory Switch / Save; Epson: Store settings). Reprint the test line “Á ä ç ñ € £ — sample”.
Sources
- Epson ESC/POS —
ESC tselect character code table - StarPRNT SDK — code page selection & QR commands
- Clover — device configuration overview (receipts/options)
Filed under: Label / thermal / POS / shipping labels
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