Zebra “Error 106” — ribbon out on thermal transfer printers (ZD/ZT/GX) — causes & fixes

Joe B.

Expert ★★★★★ 27,853 satisfied customers

Specialities: Zebra printers, Thermal transfer, Warehouse labeling, Barcodes, ZDesigner driver, ZSU

Zebra ribbon out / Error 106 — ribbon sensor, take-up spindle, media settings, calibration, ZDesigner

Technician

Hi! Zebra Error 106: Ribbon Out means the printer thinks no ribbon is present or it isn’t moving. It shows up on thermal transfer models (anything ending in “t”: ZD420t/ZD421, ZT230/ZT410, GX430t, etc.).
A few questions to pinpoint the fix: Which model? Are you using thermal transfer ribbon + labels or direct thermal labels? After loading ribbon, did you wind the take-up spindle a few turns and close the printhead firmly?

Customer

It’s a Zebra ZD421t. We replaced the ribbon roll and now it blinks red with Error 106. Labels are paper, not direct thermal. The job won’t print.

Technician

Thanks. Typical causes for Ribbon Out / Error 106:
• Ribbon is threaded backwards (wrong ink-in/ink-out orientation) or not secured to the take-up core.
• The ribbon sensor isn’t detecting movement (dirty sensor window or slack ribbon).
• The driver/printer is set to Direct Thermal mode while you’re using ribbon (Thermal Transfer).
• The printhead open latch not fully closed or ribbon width narrower than label causing edge detection issues.
We’ll load the ribbon correctly, set the print mode, and run calibration.

Customer

I might have missed the take-up step. Can you walk me through the correct ZD421t ribbon install?

Technician

Step 1 — Load ribbon (Thermal Transfer)
1) Lift the printhead. Put the supply roll on the rear spindle and the empty core on the front take-up spindle.
2) Unwind ~12 in (30 cm) of ribbon and tape it onto the take-up core. Turn the knob to remove slack so ribbon lies smooth across the printhead.
3) Make sure orientation matches your ribbon type (most Zebra ribbons are ink-out). If ink side faces the labels, it’s correct — if not, flip the roll.
4) Close the printhead until it clicks. A partially latched head will also trigger 106 Ribbon Out.

Customer

Ribbon is now tight and on the take-up. The error still shows. Could it be a sensor or a setting?

Technician

Good question. Let’s check mode and clean the sensor:
Step 2 — Set Thermal Transfer mode
• In Zebra Setup Utilities (ZSU) or the printer web page, set Print Method = Thermal Transfer. If you use the ZDesigner driver, it’s under Printing Preferences → Advanced Setup.
Step 3 — Clean ribbon sensor
• Power off. With the head open, use a lint-free swab and isopropyl alcohol to gently wipe the ribbon sensor window and the printhead. Let it dry 1 minute.
• Power on and press PAUSE + FEED (or Menu → Calibrate) to run a ribbon/media calibration. Tell me what the status light shows after calibration.

Customer

After switching to Thermal Transfer and running calibration, the light turned solid green. A test label printed. So that fixed Error 106. Anything else to adjust?

Technician

Great! A couple of optimizations so Ribbon Out doesn’t return:
• Match ribbon width to label width — too narrow and the sensor may miss movement at the edges.
• In the driver, set correct media type (gap vs black mark) and run Media Sensor Calibration after label size changes.
• Adjust darkness/heat only as needed. Excessive heat can wrinkle ribbon and trip the sensor.
• If you swap to direct thermal labels in the future, remember to change mode back to Direct Thermal to avoid false 106 alerts.

Customer

We also have a ZT230 in the warehouse that shows ribbon out randomly during long jobs. Any tips for the industrial models?

Technician

On ZT2xx/ZT4xx series intermittent Error 106 usually comes from ribbon tension or slipping cores:
• Ensure the ribbon take-up spindle knob is engaged and the core isn’t cracked.
• Use the correct ribbon path diagram inside the door; thread under the dancer arm so the ribbon sensor sees movement.
• Check Print Method and run CALIBRATE RIBBON from the front panel (Settings → Media/Ribbon).
• For dusty environments, schedule a weekly clean of the sensor and printhead with IPA swabs.

Customer

If Error 106 comes back, how do we reset it quickly without power-cycling everything?

Technician

Quick recovery:
• Press PAUSE to stop the job, fix ribbon slack, then press FEED to advance and PAUSE again to resume.
• From Zebra Setup Utilities, send the SGD commands:
^XA^JUF^XZ (factory defaults to media/ribbon) or
! U1 setvar "print.tone" "n" (example) and ! U1 setvar "ezpl.print_method" "tt" to enforce Thermal Transfer.
• If the driver queued errors, clear the Windows spooler for that printer and resend the job.

Customer

That covers it. The ZD421t is printing fine now and the ZT230 tips will help the team. Thanks!

Technician

Summary: Zebra Error 106 (Ribbon Out) is fixed by correctly threading ribbon to the take-up core, setting Thermal Transfer mode, cleaning the ribbon sensor/printhead, and running calibration. For recurring alerts, check ribbon width, tension, and spindles. Need help with ZSU/driver settings? Open the chat.

Quick answer: the accepted fix

Accepted fix when a Zebra printer shows Error 106: Ribbon Out: load ribbon onto the take-up spindle (ink-out), tighten to remove slack, set Print Method = Thermal Transfer in ZSU/ZDesigner, clean the ribbon sensor and printhead, then run PAUSE + FEED calibration.

FAQ

Step-by-step (Zebra ZD/ZT/GX)

1. Load ribbon: supply roll on rear spindle, tape leader to take-up core, remove slack, close printhead.
2. Set Print Method = Thermal Transfer and correct media type in ZSU/ZDesigner.
3. Clean ribbon sensor window and printhead with IPA; let dry.
4. Run PAUSE + FEED or panel calibration; print a configuration label to confirm.

Note for mixed environments (macOS/Cloud)

1. When using AirPrint/IPP, also change the print method on the printer itself (panel or web page) to Thermal Transfer.
2. For cloud/WMS apps, lock driver settings to prevent users from switching to Direct Thermal inadvertently.

Sources

• Zebra ZD421 Support — setup & calibration
• ZD420 User Guide — Print Method, ribbon loading
• Zebra Setup Utilities (ZSU)

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