# VOIDS

If you see the work "VOID", or a cross-hatch pattern printed across your labels, you will need to perform a calibration.

<p class="callout info"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">The default is to only allow Printers to print 3 VOIDS before pausing. </span></p>

<span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">An RFID printer may mark a label as </span>****VOID****<span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"> when it encounters issues during the encoding or verification process of the RFID tag. Here are the main reasons this can happen:</span>

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##### ****RFID Chip Encoding Failure****

- The printer tries to write data to the RFID chip, but the write operation fails.
- Causes:
    - Defective RFID chip.
    - Poor tag placement or misalignment.
    - Electrical interference.

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##### ****RFID Chip Read Failure (Post-Write Verification)****

- After encoding, the printer attempts to read back the tag to verify the data was written correctly.
- If the read fails or the data doesn't match, the printer voids the label.
- Common causes:
    - Weak tag signal.
    - Tag too far from the antenna in the printer.
    - Shielding or interference from surrounding materials.

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##### ****Tag Not Detected****

- The printer expects an RFID tag in a label but doesn't detect one.
- This happens when:
    - The label lacks an inlay (non-RFID label mistakenly loaded).
    - The inlay is out of position relative to the antenna.
    - The tag is outside of the printer’s RFID read/write field.

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##### ****Dirty or Damaged Printhead or Antenna****

- A dirty or misaligned antenna can lead to failed encoding.
- This sometimes triggers the VOID process, especially on sensitive settings.

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##### ****Printer Settings or Configuration Issues****

- Mismatched label size, tag type, or encoding format (e.g., wrong EPC scheme).
- Incorrect RFID calibration.
- GS1 SGTIN-96 format errors if strict compliance is required.

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##### ****Firmware or Software Errors****

- If the label format or encoding instruction sent to the printer is corrupted or incomplete, it may cause a void.
- Certain printers have logic to void tags if encoding instructions are incompatible.

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##### ****Lock Status or Tamper Detection****

- If the tag has been previously locked or has tamper detection enabled, the printer may not be able to encode it and will void the label.

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If you're seeing excessive VOID tags, it's usually best to:

- <span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Run a </span>[calibration](https://kb.simplerfid.com/books/calibrate-printer)<span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"> on the printer.</span>
- <span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Check the </span>****tag placement****<span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"> and ensure that the sensors are in the correct position.</span>
- Ensure the information being encoded does not exceed the tag's EPC memory bank
- ****Zebra printers only:**** [Reset the printer to factory defaults](https://kb.simplerfid.com/books/printing-issues/page/reset-your-printer-to-factory-defaults).