Epson TM-T88VII setup guide: from unboxing to first receipt

This guide takes a new Epson TM-T88VII from the box to a printed self-test and a working connection to your PC, network or POS system. It is written for our version C31CJ57112, but most steps are the same on every TM-T88VII.

Before you start

Know your version

Epson Europe sells the C31CJ57112 as "TM-T88VII (112): USB, Eth, Serial, PS, Buzz, Black". Epson calls it the serial model.

Check the box

You should find the printer, the PS-190 power supply with its AC cable, a starter roll, a connector cover, a power switch cover, a 58 mm paper roll guide, a few screws and the printed User's Guide. Keep the packaging until everything works.

Choose a good spot

• A firm, flat surface. The printer must stand horizontally, not tilted, or hang on Epson's WH-10 wall bracket.
• Not in a dusty place, and with no cables or objects under the printer.
• A room between 5 and 45 °C with 10–90 % relative humidity.

Connect the power supply

1. Check that the printer is switched off. The power switch is low down on the front, on the right.
2. Connect the AC cable to the PS-190 power supply.
3. Plug the DC cable of the power supply into the power connector at the back of the printer, marked 24V.
4. Plug the AC cable into a wall socket. Leave the printer switched off for now.

All connectors sit low down at the back. Use only the Epson PS-190 or an equivalent power supply.

Load the paper roll

The TM-T88VII takes thermal paper 79.5 mm (±0.5 mm) wide, 48–80 µm thick, on rolls up to 83 mm in diameter. Epson recommends a core of 12 mm inside and 18 mm outside diameter. The end of the paper must not be glued to the core.

1. Press the cover open button and open the roll paper cover.
2. Remove the empty core of the old roll, if there is one.
3. Drop the new roll in so that the paper comes off the underside of the roll, towards the front of the printer.
4. Pull out a little paper past the front edge and close the cover firmly.
5. Tear the paper off against the manual cutter.
6. Once the printer is on, press FEED to feed at least 20 mm of paper.

Want to print on 58 mm rolls? The 58 mm guide from the box and a printer setting make the switch. You cannot go back to 80 mm afterwards, so read Switch an Epson receipt printer to 58 mm paper first.

Switch on and print a self-test

On a normal start, the Error light goes out once the printer is ready. The self-test checks the printer without a computer:

1. Check that the roll paper cover is closed.
2. Hold down FEED and switch the printer on. Keep holding FEED until printing starts.
3. The printer prints its status, including firmware version, serial number, interface type and DIP switch settings, and asks you to continue.
4. Press FEED briefly, for less than a second. The printer prints a pattern of characters and ends with "*** completed ***". It is now ready to print.

If the paper comes out blank, the roll is the wrong way round. Load it again as shown above.

Install the driver, then connect

Epson says to install the driver before you connect the printer to the computer. For Windows, the driver is the EPSON Advanced Printer Driver 6 (APD6) for TM-T88VII on the Epson Download Center. In Europe, choose the package marked "Europe/the Middle East/Africa". Our Windows driver guide walks you through every screen. A POS app on a tablet or phone needs no Windows driver.

USB

Connect the USB cable to the USB-B port of the printer and to the computer. Start the computer first, then switch the printer on. Use a USB 2.0 compliant cable.

Ethernet

Connect an Ethernet cable from the printer to your network switch or router. By default, it gets its IP address automatically; the Ethernet light flashes while it waits and stays on once connected.

To find the IP address, print a status sheet. With the printer on and the roll paper cover closed, hold the status sheet button on the underside of the printer for at least 3 seconds; remove the connector cover first if it is fitted. Or open the roll paper cover, hold FEED for at least 1 second and close the cover. Hold FEED for 1 second afterwards to return to normal mode.

To change network settings, use TM-T88VII Utility on Windows or Web Config: type the printer's IP address into a web browser and log in as administrator. The default administrator password is on a label on the bottom of the printer, and on the status sheet after "Initial Password".

EU network security (Secure Printing)

From 2025, Epson makes the TM-T88VII printers it sells in Europe to the cybersecurity rules of the EU Radio Equipment Directive (RED). Check yours on the status sheet: a RED printer shows "Security Mode: RED". These printers ship with Secure Printing switched on, and for network connections that means:

• Only encrypted printing works. Plain printing to TCP port 9100 (RAW), over HTTP on port 80 and to the ePOS ports 8008 and 8009 is blocked. LPR printing is also disabled by default.
• You need up-to-date, RED-compatible Epson software, for example APD6 version 6.10 or later, TM Virtual Port Driver 8.70d or later and Epson TM Utility 3.38.0 or later. Windows 7 and 8 and Linux are not supported.
• The administrator password is needed to connect a host device and to change settings.

USB and serial connections are not affected. If your POS app prints over the network but nothing comes out, ask the app supplier whether it supports Epson's encrypted printing. Secure Printing can be switched off with a RED-compatible version of TM-T88VII Utility, with Epson TM Utility, or in Web Config under Advanced Settings › Print › Secure Printing; the printer then restarts.

Serial (RS-232)

Connect the serial cable, tighten the screws on both sides of the plug, start the computer and then switch the printer on. The factory settings are 9600 bps, 8 data bits, no parity and DTR/DSR handshaking, set with DIP switches under a cover on the underside. Change them only with the printer off and all cables disconnected. For the APD6 driver over serial, Epson says to set DIP switch 2-1 to ON.

Serial port and cash drawer together? Epson recommends a flat drawer cable, or a serial plug no longer than 34 mm from tip to screw, so the plugs don't get in each other's way.

Connect a cash drawer

A 24 V cash drawer plugs into the drawer kick connector. The full steps, and how to open the drawer from Windows, are in Connect a cash drawer to an Epson receipt printer.

The built-in buzzer of our version uses pin 5 of the connector, so use a drawer driven by pin 2. Epson cash drawers need no setting change.

Fit the covers

1. Turn the printer over, hook the connector cover into the case and push it down until it clicks. Lead the cables out at the back or sides, and check that none is pinched.
2. Optional: fit the power switch cover. To switch the printer on or off, push the tip of a ballpoint pen through its hole.

Using Loyverse POS? Our Loyverse setup guide shows how to add the printer to the app. If a light flashes or nothing prints, see TM-T88VII troubleshooting.