Canon MF461dw / MF463dw / MF465dw: Streaks or Lines Appear on Scans, Especially Through the Feeder — What to Do

Last Updated on 14.04.2026 by DriverNew

Applies to models: Canon MF461dw, MF463dw, MF465dw.

If black, gray, or white streaks appear on the scanned image, this does not always mean the multifunction printer is faulty. For this Canon product line, one of the most common causes is dirt in the feeder original scanning area. This is especially easy to spot when streaks appear through the feeder, but the result is normal when scanning from the platen glass.

How the problem usually appears

• a vertical or almost vertical streak appears on the scan;
• the streak repeats on every sheet in roughly the same place;
• the problem appears when scanning through the feeder, but not from the platen glass;
• sometimes, instead of a dark streak, a light or blank streak appears.

What this usually means

If the problem appears only when using the feeder, the cause is usually not the entire glass surface, but specifically the area the machine uses to read sheets from the feeder. Even a tiny speck of dust, correction fluid, toner, or glue can create a streak on every document.

If the same sheet scans normally from the platen glass, that is an important clue: the scanner unit itself is usually working properly, and the cause should be looked for in the feeder assembly and its scanning area.

Where to start

1. Take one clean sheet of paper.
2. Scan it through the feeder.
3. Then scan the same sheet from the platen glass.

If the streak appears only through the feeder, continue to feeder cleaning. If the streak appears both through the feeder and from the platen glass, first clean both the platen glass and the underside of the feeder.

Step 1. Clean the platen glass and the underside of the feeder

Even if the problem is mostly noticeable through the feeder, it is best to start with simple cleaning of the accessible surfaces.

1. Turn the machine off.
2. Open the feeder.
3. Wipe the platen glass.
4. Wipe the underside of the feeder.
5. First use a damp, well-wrung soft cloth, then a dry soft cloth.
6. Wait until the surfaces are completely dry.
7. Close the feeder and turn the machine back on.

Then test scanning again.

Step 2. Clean the feeder manually

If the streak appears specifically when using the feeder, the main step is to clean the rollers and the feeder original scanning area.

1. Turn the machine off and unplug the power cord from the outlet.
2. Open the original supply tray.
3. Open the feeder cover.
4. Wipe the rollers inside the feeder.
5. Close the feeder cover and the original supply tray.
6. Open the feeder.
7. Wipe the feeder original scanning area.
8. First use a damp, well-wrung soft cloth, then a dry soft cloth.
9. Wait until it is completely dry.
10. Close the feeder, reconnect the power, and turn the machine on.

After manual cleaning, run another test scan.

Step 3. If the streaks remain, run [Clean Feeder]

For this Canon product line, there is a separate automatic feeder cleaning function that uses paper.

1. Prepare 10 sheets of plain A4 or Letter paper.
2. Load those 10 sheets into the feeder.
3. On the machine control panel, open [Menu].
4. Go to [Adjustment/Maintenance] → [Maintenance].
5. Select [Clean Feeder].
6. Start the cleaning process and wait for it to finish.

Then scan again through the feeder.

Step 4. Check [Remove Streaks from Scan Area]

This series has a separate setting that helps when the machine detects contamination in the scan area used for feeder-fed originals.

1. On the control panel, open [Menu].
2. Go to [Adjustment/Maintenance] → [Adjust Image Quality].
3. Open [Remove Streaks from Scan Area].
4. Check which value is currently selected.

What is important to understand:

• if it is set to [Off], the machine will not try to omit contaminated areas from scanning;
• if it is set to [On], the machine may hide streaks, but images and text in the contaminated area may also not be scanned.

So this setting does not replace cleaning. If light or blank streaks appear after turning it on, the feeder needs to be cleaned physically, not just adjusted in the settings.

Step 5. Check whether the originals themselves are getting dirty

If the documents start to look dirty after passing through the feeder, that also points to a need to clean the feeder.

• the originals come out with gray marks;
• the streaks on scans become stronger after each new sheet;
• the feeder starts picking up paper unevenly or with delays more often.

In that situation, it is useful to do both a manual cleaning and then run [Clean Feeder].

What you should not do

• do not use an overly wet cloth;
• do not use abrasive cleaners;
• do not try to scrape off contamination with hard objects;
• do not run many repeated scans in a row if there is clearly dirt on the glass or in the scanning area.

When the problem is probably not just simple dirt

Sometimes cleaning does not fully help. That may mean the cause is no longer just normal dust.

• the streak remains after careful manual and automatic cleaning;
• the streak appears both through the feeder and from the platen glass;
• the scan shows not just one thin line, but strong distortion across a larger area;
• the machine is new, but the problem does not go away even after cleaning.

In that situation, it makes sense to have the condition of the glass, the feeder cover, and the scanning unit itself checked by service.

When to contact support or service

• you cleaned the platen glass and the underside of the feeder;
• you performed manual feeder cleaning;
• you ran [Clean Feeder] with 10 sheets of paper;
• you checked [Remove Streaks from Scan Area];
• the streak still repeats on every sheet.

If the multifunction printer is new, it makes sense to use the warranty after these checks.

Brief conclusion

For the Canon MF461dw, MF463dw, and MF465dw, streaks or lines on scans are most often caused by contamination in the feeder original scanning area. If the problem appears only when scanning through the feeder, first clean the platen glass, the underside of the feeder, the rollers, and the feeder original scanning area. If manual cleaning does not help, run [Clean Feeder] and check [Remove Streaks from Scan Area]. In most cases, that is enough to remove repeating streaks without repair.