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Epson PictureMate 500 driver for Mac
Yes, the Epson PictureMate 500 works on Apple Silicon Macs with macOS 27, macOS 26 Tahoe and macOS 15 Sequoia. Install this free, signed, native arm64 driver package and print again. No Rosetta, no Intel-only software from the printer maker, and no need to write or compile a driver yourself.
escp2-picmate500Install the Epson PictureMate 500 driver
- Plug the printer into the Mac with a USB cable and switch it on.
- Download the installer (.pkg) and open it. Click through, enter your Mac password. It is signed and notarized by Apple, so there are no security warnings.
- Print something. The installer recognised the printer and set it up as the default.
Still not printing? Restart the Mac once and unplug / re-plug the printer. Then see below.
Wi-Fi, network, or not detected over USB
After installing, open Terminal (⌘+Space, type Terminal), paste this and press Enter:
sudo gutenprint-add escp2-picmate500
For a network printer, add a name and the printer's address (lpinfo -v lists what macOS can see):
sudo gutenprint-add escp2-picmate500 MyPrinter socket://192.168.1.50
Or without Terminal: System Settings → Printers & Scanners → Add → Use: Select Software… and pick “Epson PictureMate 500” ending in “Apple Silicon”.
Why did my Epson PictureMate 500 stop working?
Epson's own Mac driver for this printer was built for Intel Macs only. On Apple Silicon it ran through Rosetta until macOS 27, which no longer allows that, so System Settings now says “The printer software is not compatible with this device”. This package replaces it with Gutenprint 5.3.5, compiled natively for Apple Silicon.
Black missing or faint? Run a nozzle check from the printer first: a clogged or empty black cartridge is the usual cause, and this driver can't read ink levels like Epson's did. Then make sure no color-only mode is picked under Resolution or Ink Set in Printer Features.
Print quality and black & white: in the print dialog open Printer Features (Printer Options on macOS 27). Quality is under Resolution; for black & white set Color Model to Grayscale. Ink and toner levels can't be shown by open source drivers.
Questions
Does the Epson PictureMate 500 work on macOS 27, macOS 26 Tahoe and Apple Silicon?
Yes. This free package adds a native arm64 Gutenprint driver for the Epson PictureMate 500. It runs on every Apple Silicon Mac with macOS 12 or later, including macOS 27, without Rosetta.
Do I need to write my own Epson PictureMate 500 driver?
No. The Epson PictureMate 500 is already supported by Gutenprint, an open source driver with years of tuning for this printer. Install the package; there is nothing to write, compile or patch.
Why does my Epson PictureMate 500 say “The printer software is not compatible with this device”?
Epson's Mac driver for the Epson PictureMate 500 is Intel-only and ran through Rosetta, which macOS 27 no longer allows. Install this package, restart the Mac once, then unplug and re-plug the printer.
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