| Inkjet Printer Problems and Solutions |
|---|
| Problem | Solution |
|---|
| The printer prints "garbage". The printer is not printing what was on screen. |
- This usually happens when the wrong printer driver is installed.
- Check your printer's manufacturer's website for most up to date driver.
- Download and install newest driver, restart your computer, and the problem should be resolved.
|
| No response from printer, computer gives error message when trying to print. |
- Check that the cables are properly connected to the printer and the computer.
- Many PC printers require an IEEE 1284 cable (Click here) or a USB cable (Click here).
- Some printers for older Macintoshes require either a serial (Click here) or LocalTalk cable (Click here).
- Consult your manual to find out what cabling you need/have.
- Reconnect your cables, and check to see if the printer prints.
|
| The printer is not printing completely across the page horizontally. Content is missing on the right half of the page. |
- Open the cover and make sure nothing is obstructing the movement of the print head (Click here).
- Obstructions can result if you have not removed some of the packaging or if there is a paper jam.
- If this is a new printer, make sure all safety tape has been removed.
|
| The printer prints out blank pages. |
- There is most likely no ink cartridge installed or the ink cartridge has been exhausted.
- Check your printer manual or website to figure out what ink cartridge is required. Some may require a color cartridge and a black cartridge.
- Install a new ink cartridge and print a test page (Click here), it should print now.
|
| The text printed by the printer has wrong print attributes (I.E., bold text was not printed as bold) |
- This usally occurs when the wrong printer drive is installed.
- Check your printer's manufacturer's website for most up to date driver.
- Download and install newest driver, restart your computer, and the problem should be resolved.
|
| Parts of characters are missing, or characters are not printed in correct color. |
- The ink cartridge is either clogged or running out of link.
- Run the software cleaning utility in order to fix a clog.
- Replace the ink cartridge if the clog cannot be fixed or if the cartridge is almost empty.
|
| The printer prints faded text. |
- One or more of the inkwells in the print cartridge is almost empty.
- If your printer can replenish individual colors, you can add ink for the affected color. (Click here.)
- Unfortunately if it does not, you will need to replace the whole ink cartridge.
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| Printout is smeared. |
- The paper is mismatched to the paper setting for the printer.
- For example, if you are using high-quality photo paper, set the printer's output for that paper.
- Press print through the file menu. Click properties, and make sure the properties for paper type, margins, etc. are correct. (Click here)
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| Printer encounters paper jams often. |
- The feeder bin or tray may be overloaded, remove some of the paper.
- Excess humidity may be causing the paper to stick together.
- Remove All sheets and use only as much as needed.
- The paper may have already been through the printer.
- The feeding process tends to warp and thicken areas of the page by bunching it up.
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