Common printer problems and solutions

Having your printer at home or work has several advantages—you don’t need to go to a print shop or friends to print documents, tickets, or photos. Printers, like any other electrical device, can fail if not properly maintained. Some of the most common printer problems we face include paper jams, slow printing, uneven printing, and incorrect color output. We know how frustrating it can be to have printer problems all the time if you use your printer a lot. Whether your printer is picking up paper or running out of ink, we’ve addressed some of the most common printer problems and solutions below.

The printer is functioning slowly

The type of printer determines this. Some printers (for example, picture printers) are sluggish yet generate high-quality prints, whereas others are rapid but create low-quality prints. If you often use your printer and it is operating slower than normal, you may need to adjust the print quality in the printer settings.

Make the following changes on your Windows PC:

Open the control panel on the device by clicking the Windows key.
Print settings can be accessed from the printer’s context menu.
You can select a print mode from the options that appear under Quality Settings by clicking the Paper/Quality button.
If you don’t know how to change printer settings, refer to your manual. It’s also possible that the printer rollers are slowly wearing out and slowing down the print speed.
Faded printer colors

Both the printer and the ink or toner cartridge have an impact on print quality. Toner cartridges for laser printers are comprised of powder, whereas ink cartridges are formed of liquid. Depending on the printer, the ink in the ink cartridges might be dye-based or pigment-based. If your printer uses ink cartridges and your prints are faded, the ink may be dry and need to be replaced.

Did you realize that the type of paper you choose influences print quality?

Check to see if you’re using coated or uncoated paper. Coated papers are matte, glossy, or both, but uncoated materials are not reflective. If the paper is OK, the toner might be the issue. Remove the toner cartridge, shake it several times, and then replace it in the printer. To avoid leaving fingerprints on the toner roller, do not touch it. With this, you will have the solution to the issue. If you print infrequently, the toner may settle and need to be re-enabled.

Blank prints appear when documents are printed

Incorrect print settings or outdated or defective printer drivers can cause excess paper. To resolve this issue, replace or update your printer driver. This feature is common in high-volume businesses and is useful when multiple employees use the same printer. Before each print, an additional sheet is created to identify the document and its owner. These extra sheets are called “separator

When inserting slip sheets between the required number of copies, you can insert them before or after each stack.
In the taskbar’s search box, type Control Panel. In the control panel, open the desired printer.
Select Printer Properties from the context menu by right-clicking the printer.
In the Advanced menu choose the option that indicates “Print straight to printer”. Apply is followed by OK.

What should I do to reinstall the printer driver?

By pressing Windows Key + X, you can access Device Manager.
Find your printer driver, right-click it, and choose Uninstall device.
Select Remove Driver Software and click uninstall if your device supports it.
Restart the computer after deleting the printer driver, connect the printer, and turn it on. Windows automatically installs a printer driver.

Update the printer driver

Update your printer driver by going to the website of your printer maker and downloading the most recent driver for your printer model. If you don’t know your printer model, refer to your printer’s manual. Our instructions will lead you through the process of upgrading your printer driver, whether you’re using a Windows PC or a Mac.

Page prints halfway through, leaving the other half blank.

Most USB printers suffer from this issue. There is certainly an issue if just half of the page prints. Unplug your printer, shut down your computer, and restart both. Run the Self-Test page after the device has rebooted. If the printer still does not print correctly, there might be an issue with the toner, drum unit, or rollers. The error message should clarify the issue. If not, consult a professional to remedy the problem.

The prints have very light colors

This issue is prevalent because of the printer head. This is a common issue with inkjet and ink tank printers, and it happens when the printer is turned off for a few months, resulting in dried ink and clogged cartridges.

It is necessary to use the printer’s utility programme to clean the print head. If you can’t find the programme, you might try accessing it through your computer’s printer. Run it a couple of times, then print a test page to ensure it is printing properly. Streaks and fading (which usually indicates a dirty print head) or running out of toner in a laser printer are examples of ink and toner difficulties.

Printheads in inkjet printers may require extensive cleaning. Cleaning is an option in the printer utility software that came with your printer. Cleaning alternatives are frequently classified as either light cleaning or heavy cleaning. Because this uses little ink, you may begin with the Light Clean option. If it doesn’t work, try the heavy cleaning option. The most common reason for a problem with laser printers is a lack of toner. This means the toner needs to be replenished. If you don’t have a backup toner cartridge, you can extend its life by gently swaying it back and forth in the printer.

The prints are missing some colors

This is a typical printer issue, and most customers believe they have run out of ink. However, there are other plausible explanations for this problem. Check before changing the cartridge. If the cartridge is full, the issue might be a clogged nozzle. Color combinations used by printers include RGB (Red, Green, Blue) or CMYK (Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, Key), and obstructing the nozzles meant to create one of these colors can result in document readouts. Colors may be wrong or absent. Alternatively, picture prints Another possibility is that the ink has dried out owing to inactivity. If the ink is not used frequently, it dries rapidly. As a consequence, you can experiment.

The printer is functioning slowly when connected to wifi

This issue can occur if your printer is far away from your router or if you have a large number of devices on your Wi-Fi network. Check if your wireless router is working and if the firmware is up to date. For faster WiFi performance, it should support 802.11 b/g/n and have both 5GHz and 2.4GHz bands. You can also add a WiFi extender for better performance if you want.

A paper jam keeps occurring

Misaligned paper is the most prevalent source of this issue. Check that the paper is properly loaded in the tray and that it is not overflowing. If the issue persists, see the troubleshooting section of your printer’s user manual. If it does not work, call a professional to look at the problem. Damaged or misaligned rollers that feed the paper through the paper feed to the printer are the most prevalent source of this problem. This problem can be fixed by replacing or fixing specific rollers.

Prints are sent to the wrong printer

If your computer picks up a new default printer (the one that automatically sends print jobs), it’s most likely caused by upgrading the OS version to a different version.

Follow the steps below to resolve this issue on your Windows PC

From the Start menu, select Devices and Printers (the Windows icon in the lower-left corner of your screen).
Under Printers and Faxes, right-click the printer you want to set as the default printer and select Set as Default Printer.

Print FAQs answered

What type of printer should I choose?
When it comes to choosing a printer, it is important to understand how the printer will be utilized in the first place. Printers are classified into two types: ink-based (inkjet or ink tank printers) and powder-based (laser printers). You may also identify them by their features (for example, wireless or multifunction printers) or the task they are best suited for (home or office printers).

What are inkjet printers?
Inkjet printers can print text-heavy documents such as meeting notes, but they can also produce graphics and are faster than laser printers. takes up less desk space than a laser printer. Inkjet printers, on the other hand, use more ink per printed page than laser toner, so they can have higher running costs than laser printers.
The advantage is that they are cheaper and smaller than laser printers but still produce high-quality color output.
Cons: Increased operating costs
Color laser printers and cartridges have a higher initial cost, while inkjet printing has a higher cost per page. If you print regularly, a color laser printer should be cheaper in the long run.

What are laser printers?
Laser printers excel in printing large amounts of black text. Color laser printers are available; however, they are significantly more costly than color inkjet printers. They frequently print quicker than inkjet printers and can manage higher workloads if you print a large number of pages each month.

Furthermore, while toner cartridges are more expensive than inkjet cartridges, they can print more pages, resulting in a significantly cheaper cost per black-and-white or color page. Laser printers, on the other hand, are bigger, noisier, and can take up more desk space than inkjet printers. Color laser printers are excellent for making graphs and charts, but they are not suitable for printing photographs.

Which printer should I buy? Should I choose a black and white printer or a color printer?
Although black and white inkjet printers are no longer accessible, monochrome (black and white) laser printers remain affordable. They are less expensive to acquire than color models and less expensive to run if you often print black text on white sheets. Color expands your printer’s possibilities. A color printer is required if you need to print images or color documents.

Will getting a wireless printer to be a good choice?
Wi-Fi connectivity is becoming more and more common and a great feature to look for in new printers. With wireless Internet connectivity, you can place your printer anywhere in your home.
When you connect your wireless printer to the Internet, you can use a variety of online services, including free mobile printing apps from major printer manufacturers HP, Epson, and Canon.

Should I consider getting an extended warranty plan on the printer I purchase?
It most surely is! Extended warranty options cover all defects and malfunctions covered by the standard manufacturer’s warranty. It can extend the life of your printer by several years.