Evolis Primacy Support

Use the Printer driver button above for Windows or Mac. Run the installer, then connect the printer by USB and turn it on. When the printer shows up in Printers & scanners, print a test card to confirm everything works.

On a Mac, if the installer will not open, go to System Settings › Privacy & Security and click Open Anyway. Company computers may need IT to allow it.

Most printers rarely need it. Update only if our support team asks you to, or to fix a known issue. Download it from Firmware update above, keep the printer turned on and connected by USB, and follow the instructions that come with the download.

Do not turn off or unplug the printer while it updates. If you would rather not do it alone, call us and a technician will run it with you over remote support.

All of them, including Windows 11. The Evolis Primacy driver and Bodno ID Card Software both work on any version of Windows. Get them from the downloads above.

Yes. Download the Mac driver above. Bodno ID Card Software runs on Mac too.

The technical test card prints without the computer. With a ribbon and card loaded, hold the button 4 to 5 seconds until its light goes out, then press and hold it again and let go when the light flashes. It shows the serial number, firmware, cleaning count and printhead details. You can also print it from Evolis Print Center.

If the test card prints cleanly but your cards do not, the problem is in the software or the card design, not the printer.

Ribbons made for the Evolis Primacy:

• Evolis R5F008AAA Color Ribbon for Primacy - YMCKO - 300 prints $89.99
• Evolis R6F003AAA Color Ribbon for Primacy Dual-Sided - YMCKO-K - 200 prints $89.99
• Evolis RCT023NAA Black Monochrome Ribbon for Primacy & Zenius - K - 2,000 prints $39.99

Cards: CR80 PVC cards, 10 to 50 mil, set with the thickness gauge (factory setting 30 mil). Most badges are printed on 30 mil cards, like our Bodno CR80 30 mil PVC cards. Keep them in the box until you load them, because dust and fingerprints show up on the print.

• Bodno Cleaning Kit for Evolis Zenius & Primacy – T-Cards, Adhesive Cards, Pen & Wipes (Evolis ACL002 Compatible) $36.00
• Bodno Alcohol Cleaning T-Cards for Evolis Primacy, Zenius & Badgy – 10 Pack (Evolis ACL004 Compatible) $44.00
• Bodno Cleaning Kit for Evolis Zenius & Primacy – Adhesive Cards & Swabs (Evolis ACL001 Compatible) $30.00

Evolis asks for a cleaning every 1,000 cards and recommends one at every ribbon change, and right away if you see specks, dots or lines on your cards.

1. Open the cover, take out the ribbon and close the cover until it clicks.
2. Set the card thickness gauge to MAX and take the cards out of the feeder.
3. Double-click the cleaning button. Peel the film off an adhesive cleaning card and insert it, adhesive side up. The used card comes out on its own.
4. Set the gauge back to your cards before printing.

For the advanced cleaning, use a T-shaped cleaning card the same way, straight after opening its pouch. Both can also be started from Evolis Print Center › Start cleaning.

• Cards and ribbon light: no ribbon, ribbon used up, torn, fitted wrong or not recognised, or no cards in the feeder. Reload and the job carries on with a new card.
• Cleaning light flashing: cleaning is due. Steady: cleaning is overdue (see below).
• Printer light: the cover is open, or a card is jammed (see below).
• Pushbutton lit: ready. Flashing: receiving a job.

The cleaning light starts flashing after 1,000 cards. After 200 more it stays on, and Evolis voids the printhead warranty until the printer is cleaned. Clean with an Evolis adhesive cleaning card as soon as the light flashes, and ideally at every ribbon change.

1. Don’t turn the printer off, as that clears the jobs waiting to print.
2. Open the cover and take out the ribbon.
3. Press the button to turn the rollers. If the card is still stuck, slide it toward the exit by hand. With more than one card, push the top one first.
4. Put the ribbon back and close the cover.

To prevent jams, set the card thickness gauge to your cards, keep cards flat, and shuffle the stack before loading.

Out of the box the printer uses DHCP, so your network gives it an address automatically. Plug in the cable and install the Evolis driver. Its Ethernet setup finds Evolis printers on the network by name or IP address.

Your IT team can set a fixed IP address, subnet, gateway and WINS server. The printer also has a built-in web page: type its IP address into a browser on the same network.

• Small spots: dirty cards or a clogged cleaning roller. Use fresh cards from a closed box and run a cleaning.
• White lines across the card: the ribbon is wrinkled, or the printhead is dirty or damaged. Reload the ribbon flat and clean the printer.
• Blurry: open and close the cover so the ribbon re-syncs, and clean the printer.
• Blank card comes out: the ribbon ran out or is damaged. Replace it.

Three things, in this order: the printer driver, Bodno ID Card Software, then a test card. Activate the software with the code from your purchase email. If activation does not go through, see Activation & license help or call us.

• Your printer model and the serial number from the label on the printer
• A photo of the card or the error message
• Windows or Mac, and which version
• USB or Ethernet
• Your order number, so we can check your coverage, including TotalCare